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SHELBY TOWNSHIP — DTE Energy recently announced a $100 million investment to rebuild the electric grid; part of DTE’s commitment to reduce outage frequency by 30% and cut restoration time in half by 2029.
New investments to improve electric reliability include the construction of three electric substations and new, updated equipment to deliver power from these substations to customers’ homes and businesses.
One of the new substations will be in Shelby Township to support the growing industrial and commercial demand along 23 Mile and 24 Mile roads.
The new substation in Shelby Township will be a $39 million investment that will be built from 2024 to 2026.
Substations are parts of the electric grid that adjust voltage levels coming from power plants to distribute electricity to homes and businesses. The substation construction is part of DTE’s broader grid investment strategy that includes transitioning to a smart grid, upgrading existing infrastructure, rebuilding significant portions of the grid and trimming trees.
Cindy Hecht, DTE Energy senior communications strategist, said that DTE started building the three new substations this summer.
“The new substations represent a major investment in DTE’s system that will improve reliability, while increasing capacity to support growth, economic development and a more electrified future, including electric vehicles. Specifically, the new Shelby Township substation will support growing industrial and commercial demand along 23 and 24 Mile roads. Like the other two new substations, the Shelby Township project will be equipped with smart grid technology that will reduce the number and duration of outages. This technology enables DTE to monitor the grid from its state-of-the-art System Operations Center located in the company’s downtown Detroit headquarters.”
She said the technology automatically adjusts power supply to meet demand or reroutes power so lights can stay on for more customers while crews make any needed repairs.
“When DTE builds a new substation, the company also adds or upgrades all of the supporting infrastructure. With the Shelby Township project, DTE is building out nearly 9 miles of new infrastructure, installing new poles and overhead power lines as well as new cables and equipment underground,” she said.
Matt Hicks, director, Project Management Office, DTE Energy, said the new Shelby Township substation will improve reliability for existing customers and support the growing number of commercial and industrial businesses moving into the area.
Hecht said DTE is also rebuilding power delivery infrastructure across its service territory and has a dozen substations in various stages of being energized and commissioned. This work is happening in Almont, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Lapeer, Port Hope, Port Huron, Van Buren Township and Vassar Township.
“These projects are just a few examples of the major investments DTE is making in its system to improve reliability for all customers: the company plans to reduce outages by 30% and cut duration time in half over the next five years. The company is also focused on the future, building a grid that is smarter, stronger, more resilient, and able to support more clean energy generation and a more electrified future,” she said.
Matt Paul, president and chief operating officer, DTE Electric, said these new substations represent a major investment in the system that will improve reliability, while increasing capacity to support growth, economic development and a more electrified future, including electric vehicles.
“We’re not just building for today — we’re building the grid of the future to meet the evolving needs of our customers and communities for decades to come,” he said.
For more information about DTE’s efforts and the new substations, visit empoweringmichigan.com or the company’s Power Improvements Map. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy.
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