DTE Energy is transforming its grid into a smart one as part of its plan to build the future. This shift aims to reduce outages by 30% and cut outage duration in half by 2029. The transition has been made possible through significant investments in technology, including the construction of a new operations center and advanced operating system.
Smart grid technology allows the system operations center to remotely isolate damaged electrical equipment, rerouting power around the damaged area to keep more customers’ power on while repairs are being made. With the help of smart grid devices called reclosers, located atop power poles, this can happen within seconds to minutes. The technology also enables field crews to remotely locate damage areas, eliminating the need for physical examination of power lines and poles, speeding up repairs and reducing outage duration for customers.
DTE Energy is actively installing smart grid devices across the communities it serves, with plans to have 10,000 devices in service by 2029. Along with this transition, they are also upgrading existing infrastructure and rebuilding significant portions of the grid. To learn more about their work, visit empoweringmichigan.com/reliability-improvements. To see the work being done in your community, visit the power improvements map at dteenergy.com.