Consumers Energy will intentionally cut power to customers later this month, though the state’s largest energy provider graciously delayed an outage planned for 1,900 customers next week.

With temperatures forecasted in the single digits next week, Consumers announced on Wednesday it will delay a planned power outage for about 1,900 customers that was initially scheduled for Jan. 21, WNEM reports.

Consumers mailed postcards to those customers to warn about the planned outage, as well as two others scheduled for Jan. 28 and 29 that will impact 200 and 20 customers, respectively.

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“Consumers Energy says those outages could be postponed, as well, depending on weather conditions that weekend,” according to WJRT. “The company says all three planned power outages are necessary to carry out maintenance work designed to reduce the potential for unplanned and longer duration power outages in the future.”

An Arctic outbreak of cold air from Siberia is expected to descend on Michigan next week in what meteorologists have dubbed the “Siberian Express.” Temperatures are forecasted to dive 25 degrees below normal, hitting as low as negative 5 degrees in some parts of the state by Monday, MLive reports.

The decision to cancel the planned outage near Midland follows other cancellations prompted by what Genesee County Commissioner Delrico Loyd described as “collective advocacy” in December.

About 3,500 customers in Flint were set for lights out in early December, before Loyd and others convinced the company to do it some other time. Consumers announced just hours before the Dec. 6 outage it would cancel its plans “after discussions with local officials and customers.”

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“While the work is necessary to ensure future unplanned outages, we recognize the importance of listening to feedback from the communities we serve, and are working closely with local partners to ensure that when the work is scheduled in the future, customers can feel more prepared,” read a statement from Consumers cited by WJRT.

Loyd told the news site he expects Consumers to improve community engagement, limit outages to daytime hours, provide warming centers or alternative energy sources, and ensure residents can operate medical devices when the company reschedules the outage.

“This experience is proof positive of what we can do when we stand united in the face of a challenge,” Loyd wrote in a letter last month. “By working together in this manner, we can address issues and find solutions before they become a significant burden on our most vulnerable populations.”

The planned outages come amid repeated double digit rake hike requests from Consumers and DTE, which hold a monopoly on electrical service in Michigan that’s among the least reliable in the nation.

Analysis of data from the research nonprofit Climate Central last year shows Michigan residents suffer more and longer power outages than all but two states, despite paying 11% more for their monthly bill than the U.S. average, Bridge Michigan reports.

The analysis shows only Texas and California – the top two states for population – have recorded more major power outages impacting 50,000-plus customers than Michigan, putting the state ahead of all others in the Great Lakes region and other states routinely impacted by hurricanes, such as Louisiana and Florida.

On Tuesday, Consumers commended itself for improving the situation slightly last year.

“Consumers Energy’s commitment to building a smarter and stronger electric grid led to major reliability improvements for nearly 2 million homes and businesses in 2024,” according to a Consumers press release. “The average customer experienced 21 fewer power outage minutes compared to last year, and over 93% of customers saw their power restored in less than 24 hours.”

The improvements inched Consumers closer to its goal of outages impacting no more than 100,000 customers, with power restored in less than 24 hours.

Last year, the average Consumers customer went without power for 155 minutes “in normal weather,” while that figure was 176 minutes in 2023. The company, which provides electric or gas service to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties, touted the 12% decline in outage minutes as “the largest improvement over the past decade.”

Even with major storms and tornadoes last year, we moved closer to goals that enable better quality of life in the Michigan communities we serve,” said Greg Salisbury, Consumers’ vice president of grid design. “Last year’s improvements were significant, and we plan to build on them in 2025.”

Consumers improved reliability with 1,350 major upgrades last year, which included clearing trees and 7,000 miles of electric lines, according to the press release.

“Other tactics included new technology, infrared cameras, more durable iron poles and even a robotic dog,” it read.