With snow already falling, the possibility of power outages becomes increasingly likely, especially in Addison Township, but with DTE currently installing new power lines and poles along parts of Rochester Road and other roads around the township, Supervisor Bruce Pearson is hoping this year will be different.
After numerous outages last winter, Pearson called upon state Rep. Brad Jacobsen (R-Oxford) and state Sen. Jim Marleau (R-Lake Orion) last January to help orchestrate a meeting between Addison and DTE officials in order to try and resolve a ‘failing system? that he had been trying to get fixed since meeting with the power company five years ago.
That meeting produced positive results and DTE promised they were going to fix the problem and began in September installing bigger poles and power lines with heavier gauges. DTE said the problem with Addison’s system was that the power lines ran in a ‘dead-end run,? so when the power went out, everybody was out.
The new system is called a ‘looped system,? where if a tree falls in one area, DTE can isolate that area and bring power in from another direction to give power to the surrounding areas.
According to DTE, since April 2009, there have been 27 outages for the village of Leonard, 24 outages around the Addison Township Hall and 30 outages around the Rowland Road area, which have all lasted between 2 hours and six days.
‘It seems like the squeaky wheel now gets the oil in Addison Township because for so long people didn’t take us seriously,? Pearson said. ‘They gave us lip service and just thought we wouldn’t remember and they never finished the projects. We’re holding their feet to the fire now.?
Originally DTE had told Pearson that the funding for the project was only until Jan 1 so the work would have to be done before then, but in a recent phone conversation with Michael Palchesko of DTE’s community relations, Palchesko confirmed they have money ‘locked in for the project.?
‘We received necessary internal funding to move forward on all the pieces of the project,? Palchesko said. ‘If by chance we run into some issues and we can’t finish exactly on Dec. 31 we’re going to continue working. Our goal is to get it done by Dec. 31, but if we don’t we’ll just keep at it.?
When asked if they should ‘see a mark of improvement this winter,? Palchesko said ‘yes.?
‘We want to make every effort to make you and your residents have a much better winter than the last one,? he told Pearson.
‘The proof is going to be in the pudding is what I tell people,? Pearson said to this reporter. ‘Let’s see if we see the difference. They promised me we will see a difference and they promised me that this is the cure.?