Utility crews are working to restore electricity to tens of thousands of residents in Southeast Michigan following multiple rounds of severe storms that produced at least three tornadoes. DTE Energy reported that as of Saturday at 5:45 p.m., approximately 75,961 customers remained without power, down from a peak of 450,000 impacted since the storms began.
The severe weather began Wednesday and continued through Thursday, resulting in heavy rainfall, flooding, and high winds. The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-2 tornado hit Detroit’s east side and an EF-0 tornado struck Lincoln Park with 70 mph winds. A third tornado touched down in Marysville on Wednesday evening with 75 mph winds, traveling 0.35 miles with a width of 175 yards.
DTE Energy Senior Vice President Brian Calka stated that approximately 4,000 workers, including more than 1,000 field workers from outside Michigan, are engaged in restoration efforts. The utility company reported that 145,000 customers had their service restored by early Friday morning. Consumers Energy also reported about 5,700 customers remained without power as of Friday afternoon, down from a peak of 23,000.
The power outages and storm damage have affected more than 450,000 utility customers across Metro Detroit and surrounding counties. At the peak of the event, roughly one in eight of DTE's 2 million customers lost service. Restoration is ongoing, though tens of thousands of households and businesses were still without electricity as of Saturday evening.
Beyond the loss of electricity, residents face property damage and safety risks. The tornado in Detroit damaged homes and industrial buildings, while heavy rain—reaching up to 2.7 inches in Lyndon Township—caused flooding that forced state officials to close multiple roadways. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel cautioned residents to be wary of post-storm scams, specifically unethical contractors or individuals posing as utility workers demanding payment for faster service restoration. Residents using portable generators have been warned to keep them outdoors to avoid carbon monoxide risks.
DTE Energy stated its goal was to restore service to 90% to 92% of affected customers by Saturday night, with the remainder expected to be back online by the end of Sunday. The National Weather Service expects more seasonable temperatures in the upper 70s to return. Motorists in Beverly Hills were advised to avoid Evergreen Road between Elwood Street and Plantation Lane due to a downed wire and a brush fire, while Detroit officials worked to repair stoplights that were disabled during the storms.