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Storm news
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
DTE and Consumers Energy told regulators the July 3 storm caused outages 20 times worse than.
The storm exposed utility preparedness gaps, prompting state investigation and planned grid upgrades.
Background
On July 3, 2026, a severe storm struck Michigan, causing widespread power outages. DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, the state's major utilities, later admitted to regulators that their forecasts significantly underestimated the storm's impact. This admission came as part of a state investigation into the utilities' response, highlighting the need for better forecasting and infrastructure improvements.
How it unfolded
- Jul 3, 2026A severe storm hits Michigan, killing six people and leaving 500,000 customers without power.
- Aug 27, 2026DTE Energy and Consumers Energy file reports with Michigan regulators, stating the storm's impact was 20 times worse than predicted for DTE and fivefold for Consumers.
- Aug 28, 2026The reports are publicized, outlining planned improvements including better forecasting technology, earlier crew staffing, and infrastructure upgrades.
Who’s saying what
- Utilities
- DTE and Consumers Energy say the storm exceeded forecasts and they are committed to improving response through technology and infrastructure investments.
- Regulators
- Michigan regulators are investigating the utilities' response, focusing on why forecasts were so far off and what changes are needed.