Lights Turning Back On In Ferndale
FERNDALE (WWJ) - A major blackout for thousands of residents in Ferndale appears to be over.
Speaking live on WWJ, DTE Energy spokesman Len Singer said crews finally repaired the area of an underground cable that was causing power outages in the city.
"The power is back on for virtually all the customers in Ferndale this morning. We made repairs overnight to one of the areas of damage cable and at about six o'clock this morning were able to turn the power back on for the majority of the customers."
Singer says customers may see some isolated power outages later today while everyone comes back online, but there are three big generators that will keep most residents covered.
"We still have one more cable repair to make. As the day goes on and the loads and demand on the system heat up, it's going to compromise our ability to keep everyone turned on until we can make the final repairs on the cable. But in the meantime we've brought some generators in and we're also trying to work with some alternative facilities around the area to serve customers."
Singer asks that residents do however cut back on their usage while they get everyone up and running.
"If residents and businesses in Ferndale can kind of cut back their usage a little bit today, turn the thermostats up on the air conditioning, not use the major appliances, it will really help us keep the power on for their neighbor."
Many in Ferndale are wondering why their city was so severely affected by the power outage.
"The main reason is the heat, humidity and high demands on the system over the course of the week," Singer said. "It's a mechanical system and it's much like running a car. You could have 100 cars running at maximum speed in high heat and maybe one of them would break down as a result of the heat."3
Singer said the final repairs that will get things absolutely back to normal will take place Saturday and will probably be completed early Sunday morning.
"In the meantime, we're going to do everything we can to keep the power on for as many people as possible. And again, the folks in Ferndale can help us out by curtailing the use a little bit, that will help their neighbors as well," he said.
