GRANT, Mich. — A towering transmission line in Grant, Newaygo County, lies crumpled in a cornfield after a severe storm tore through West Michigan on Sunday. The towering 75-foot structure, which had been responsible for carrying electricity to the rural region, was twisted and toppled by the powerful storm, dragging it across the street and cutting off power to hundreds of residents.
The storm, which followed a weekend ice storm that impacted the northern Lower Peninsula, prompted severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings across the region. Electric crews from Consumers Energy scrambled to restore power to more than 250,000 customers affected by the dual weather events. As of Tuesday morning, around 156,000 of those outages were linked to the thunderstorms, which wreaked havoc across multiple counties.
The storm’s damage was particularly widespread in the following counties:
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Allegan County: 3,768 outages
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Barry County: 4,923 outages
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Calhoun County: 8,758 outages
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Kalamazoo County: 6,359 outages
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Kent County: 5,373 outages
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Montcalm County: 544 outages
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Newaygo County: 585 outages
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Ottawa County: 712 outages
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St. Joseph County: 1,858 outages
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Van Buren County: 1,421 outages
In southwestern Michigan, Indiana Michigan Power reported around 13,700 customers without electricity. Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties were some of the hardest-hit areas.
The storm’s intensity caught many residents by surprise, including Richard Hatchew, who lives near the toppled transmission tower in Grant. Hatchew described the storm as a “freight train” that came through in a flash. The powerful winds knocked over several oak trees on his property and damaged nearby power lines. Like many others, Hatchew was left without power and had to rely on a generator to keep his home running. He expressed frustration at the inconvenience, hoping for a quick return of electricity.
“I wish it would come on today, very soon if possible,” Hatchew said. “It gets costly for a generator.”
Newaygo County Emergency Services Director, Abby Watkins, surveyed the area near the toppled tower but was surprised by the lack of additional damage. Watkins had anticipated signs of a tornado, such as uprooted trees and torn roofs, but found little evidence of such destruction. The radar had shown a debris field moving through the area, but no clear indicators of a tornado emerged.
Consumers Energy officials described the storm as “historic,” citing the combination of ice-coated power lines in the northern regions and the severe thunderstorms further south. A Consumers Energy spokesperson stated that the utility had already prepared for the storm, shifting resources from ice storm recovery in the north to assist with the thunderstorms. Crews were deployed from neighboring states, including Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio, to aid in restoration efforts.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for the affected areas due to the significant ice damage to trees and power lines. While utility crews worked tirelessly, Consumers Energy warned that it could take until Tuesday or Wednesday for full restoration of power in the northern areas affected by the ice storm. No immediate timeline was available for the restoration of outages caused by the thunderstorms.
Consumers Energy officials also reminded residents to exercise caution around downed power lines. They emphasized the importance of staying at least 25 feet away from any fallen lines, even if they appear to be inactive, and urged residents to call 911 and the utility company immediately.
As recovery efforts continue, communities across West Michigan remain in a state of uncertainty, with many hoping for a swift resolution to the power outages that have disrupted daily life.
