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Mich. regulators launch probe into DTE outages

The Michigan Public Service Commission on May 17 started an investigation into recent weather-related outages at DTE Energy Co. subsidiary DTE Electric Co., particularly a May 4 incident which left more than 300,000 customers without electricity for several days.

In its decision, the commission said it is "concerned that parts of DTE Electric's distribution system are exhibiting an inability to routinely provide the level of safe and reliable service that is required by law."

Through an investigation, the commission intends to determine the storm's impact to DTE's distribution system and why it happened, how DTE responded to the event, and whether changes should be adopted to lessen potential for death, injury and massive power outages. The outages that occurred May 4 were caused by winds as strong as 70 miles per hour, and the PSC said it would also look into an incident after the storm in which a Detroit woman died after coming into contact with a downed wire.

In April, a late-season ice storm left roughly 400,000 DTE Electric customers without service, the commission noted.

The investigation will also enable the commission to determine noncompliance, if necessary, and possible fines and penalties. The regulators directed DTE to file its safety and incident report by June 29. Commission staff was required to review the report and file a response by Aug. 10. (Michigan PSC Case No. U-20169)