Unused Power Lines

 Ending an investigation that was prompted by the accidental electrocution of a 12-year-old girl in September of 2016, the Michigan Public Service Commission has called for a comprehensive, long-term plan to document and remove from service miles of unused power lines in Detroit.

The associated utility, DTE Electric Company, had conducted its own inquiry into the matter, discovering that arc wires abandoned by the city could become energized if they came in contact with DTE facilities. Such wires provide power to arc-type street lights, which have not been used for years. According to the commission, the Detroit Public Lighting Department (PLD) had estimated that there are at least 600-900 miles of out-of-service arc wires in its service area, which includes all of Detroit and some outlying areas. The commission ordered DTE Electric to coordinate with commission staff and the PLD to identify the scope of the problem of unused arc lines. Among the factors to be assessed in the study are how many arc wires remain, who owns the lines and the poles to which they are attached, and who controls access to the wires.

The commission remarked that DTE Electric and the PLD already have improved their communication protocols and response times regarding downed wires in the city, and have worked together on two successful pilot programs which resulted in the removal of more than 140,000 feet of abandoned electric lines. (Case Nos. U- 18172, U-18484)