Consumers Energy launched a large-scale restoration effort Tuesday as over 410 crews mobilized to the hardest-hit areas of the state after a severe thunderstorm with damaging winds swept across Michigan Tuesday. Crews from Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio and Illinois will also be pitching in to get the power back on safely and as quickly as possible.

 

Several homes and businesses in the City of Hastings and other parts of Barry County lost power. 

 

“The damage created by this storm is widespread and significant,” said Chris Laird, one of Consumers Energy’s Officers in Charge for restoration. “We are moving every resource that we can into place ? including crews from our energy industry peers in the Midwest ? to ensure we can safely turn the lights back on for our customers.”

 

The storm moved across Michigan, causing damage and affecting over 155,000 customers. Most of those were in the Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo areas, as well as communities in the northeast Lower Peninsula. The company responded quickly and, as of 4 p.m., has restored power to than 40,000 affected customers.

 

Most customers should get power back by noon Thursday, with all customers in the hardest-hit areas restored by the end of the day Thursday.