Power outage affecting several Washtenaw Avenue intersections in Ann Arbor
Update: DTE Energy Spokesman says about 4,000 customers still without power at 10 p.m.
Several Washtenaw Avenue intersections are dark tonight after a power outage hit the east side of Ann Arbor shortly after 7 p.m. Monday.
Washtenaw County Emergency dispatchers are reporting the affected area is near the intersection of Washtenaw Avenue and East Stadium Boulevard, east to US-23.
DTE Energy Spokesman Alejandro Bodipo-Memba said utility crews were heading to the area at 7:30 p.m. It was not clear is what caused the outage, he said.
Bodipo-Memba said the problem is being addressed and expected power would be restored within a couple of hours.
A DTE outage map suggests that several thousand homes and many businesses along Washtenaw and Packard are affected, including much of Arborland.
Comments
Ash
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 8:01 p.m.
What is the cause? Letting us know what it is will prevent speculation. If they don't know, that's really not a good thing, is it? It's kind of like when you take your car to the shop and they can't find why it doesn't start, it may mean they are not competent. It might be sabotage by a disgruntled employee embarrassing them, it might be a decaying system that's getting worse and they want to keep it quiet till it collapses and then the gov't will have to take it over, theives stealing all the copper wires in their system, or is it aluminum, maybe a computer virus from China, who knows? There was no storm, that much we know. It might be that they forgot to pay their utility bill, LOL. Just let us know, pretty please?
Jack
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 6:47 p.m.
Several articles regarding power outages have quoted DTE as saying it was not clear what caused the outage. Annarbor.com never seems to pursue the causes, despite power outages being a problem in this City. I, for one, would be interested to see an article on what DTE says are the actual causes for all these outages. My guess is that their infrastructure simply cannot handle the hot humid weather when so many air conditioners are running, but I may be wrong. But there are an awful lot of them in summer. I'd really like to know how strong or fragile our power sources are.
Michelle09
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 3:02 p.m.
I live in an apartment complex off of Packard between Carpenter and Golfside as well and while our power did not go out last night, it went out the night before for like 5 hours (2:30am-7amish). It appeared to be out throughout the area when looking outside because it was pitch black, with not a light in sight. Apparently it struck again in a similar area last night as well. I wonder what is going on, because sudden outages without severe weather should not be this common.
racerx
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 2:44 p.m.
I live off of Packard between Carpenter and Golfside. This is a common problem for this area. And it doesn't take much of a storm, or any at all. Though power was restored around 11pm., it's just very frustrating attempting to do your daily grind without power. And as always, DTE doesn't give a reason why the power goes out. As most comments suggest, the other side the street could have power while yours doesn't. I think that DTE should pay each customer $100 for any power outages that last more than 2hrs. Maybe this will get them to invest in better technology and equipment. Oh, I keep forgetting, they are a monopoly and pretty much have their way with the Energy commission at the state level who will grant rate increases without question.
Jeff Gaynor
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 4:40 p.m.
2nd time in weeks that our power was out for 4 hours. Last night it was a pain - cutting off a phone call, no radio, no tv, no internet, no A/C or fans. So I grabbed my bike and ran 3 errands downtown, stopped at a volleyball game at the park, read on my front porch until it got dark, lit candles and read some more, then went to bed early and read with a flashlight. Ok, it was too warm - but really, aren't we a bit spoiled?
Milton Shift
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 3:31 p.m.
So true about the monopoly. They really abuse it.
Milton Shift
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 12:52 p.m.
Looking at google maps now, I can count at least 14 intersections which were completely uncontrolled last night. What happened, DTE? They said the cause of the problem was unknown, yet they also said they were fixing the problem (and they did). How is that possible? The real story is probably embarrassing...
capersdaddy
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 12:49 p.m.
a lovely power outage was RUINED by my neighbors stupid generator.
Mariella
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 5:14 p.m.
Perhaps your neighbor depends on a generator for health-related concerns.
SonnyDog09
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 11:07 a.m.
It was pleasantly quiet last night, except for the occasional siren. My power was back on at about 1230 this morning. Since this did not occur downtown, and does not involve bike paths, choo-choos or trees, neither the mayor nor the council care.
Matt
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 2:13 p.m.
Sure there were a few sirens last night, but now all I can hear is a wambulance.
LaMusica
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 10:11 a.m.
I live off Packard and Carptenter and my complex lost power, even though other complexes around me had power. On my drive into work this morning on Packard, the lights from Carpenter down to past Stone School were all out (well, blinking). So it's great that you've reported there are outages, but we haven't been given a cause yet. What the heck happened? DTE owes me a decent night's sleep...
Milton Shift
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 6:22 a.m.
"Several" intersections? It was out all the way to I-94. I turned around at that point - it was complete mayhem on the roads, thought it too dangerous to bother with an already pointless errand.
Terry Star21
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 3:47 a.m.
Been hearing sirens going to those intersections all night....praying everyone is all right...
mun
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 3:31 a.m.
I got power at 11:10pm.
John Hritz
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 4:07 a.m.
Ours came on at midnight. DTE still estimates 3:30...
keith_urbanFan93
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 3:23 a.m.
Just got my power back about 10 minutes ago.
John Hritz
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 3:13 a.m.
Still dark here. Spokesperson didn't provide a cause even after four hours.
nuseph
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 3:06 a.m.
Just got mine back. Whew
silverwings
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 2:55 a.m.
I'm now getting an estimate of 5:30 a.m. from DTE. Raises the question of whether election officials can run an election without power. Surely there are procedures in place, but when were they last used?
sue
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 2:40 a.m.
Maybe the new city public arts director can go direct traffic.
Not a valid excuse for a newspaper
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 2:20 a.m.
There are far more than "several" intersections, as the headline states, affected. The entire stretch of road on Stadium from Brockman to past Carpenter Road did not have traffic signals working, as well as Packard from just east of the Eisenhower split to past Carpenter - and everything in between. Around 8:00pm there were no temporary stop signs, and absent these reminders for everyone to stop, many people sped through the small intersections without slowing down, not to mention stopping. A lack of temporary signage or absence of traffic directors is no excuse for not stopping, people! The timing - dusk - was dangerous to pedestrians. Some signs did appear by 9:30. I do hope this gets resolved before the morning commute!
AfterDark
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 2 a.m.
I think this has been a compounding problem throughout the day. When I was out and about early this a.m. - 5:30ish - a quarter of Glencoe Hills was already totally out. All these big apartment complexes and high-rises, with new ones being added all the time, each filled to the brim with a/c...you get the idea.
Not a valid excuse for a newspaper
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 2:26 a.m.
Power was out earlier this morning due to a downed tree on a power line, as reported here <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/power-outage-affecting-more-than-500-customers-southeast-of-ann-arbor/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/power-outage-affecting-more-than-500-customers-southeast-of-ann-arbor/</a>
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 2:19 a.m.
so does that mean I shouldn't try to charge my electric car till September? ;)
Craig Lounsbury
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 1:57 a.m.
" utility crews were heading to the area at 7:30 p.m......, he said. the problem is being addressed and expected power would be restored within a couple of hours." OK Alejandro, your couple hours are up. :(
Ben Connor Barrie
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 4:16 a.m.
Alejandro: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-ZUuHXgQ8k" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-ZUuHXgQ8k</a>
Gail
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 12:50 a.m.
We noticed the new South Big House Scoreboard being tested tonight...coincidence?
L. C. Burgundy
Tue, Aug 2, 2011 : 12:36 a.m.
Outage extends down to I-94 on the south side. According to DTE maps, extends all the way up on the east side of packard up to the river bounded (mostly) by US-23 on the east.