Outage Center | Consumers Energy (2024)

FAQs

How do you respond to a power outage? ›

If you think you smell gas, go to a safe place outside. Do not use any electronics until you're far away from the smell. Call 9-1-1 right away and then call us at 800-477-5050. If you're having an issue at your home that requires tree trimming and isn't an emergency, please reach out to our Tree Management Team.

Consumers will provide a one-time voluntary refund of $15 million in revenue from 2022 to be applied to customer bills through a monthly credit for 12 months once new rates go into effect Jan. 20.

Build or buy an emergency preparedness kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, and first aid supplies. Make sure you have alternative charging methods for your phone or any device that requires power. A crank or solar powered radio/flashlight/cell phone charger is a good alternative to battery powered ones.

Depending on the amount of water remaining in the pipes, you might be able to flush your toilet several times while the power is out. Eventually, however, your tank won't fill up anymore because the pumps are down. When this happens, you will need to flush your toilet manually by pouring in a bucket of water.

Small amounts of ammonia, baking soda or vinegar can help neutralize the strong smell of gasoline.

Calling the National Gas Emergency number to report a gas leak is free. An emergency gas engineer will be sent, free of charge, to 'make safe' your property. They won't repair appliances or pipework, though, that's something you'll need to arrange and pay for yourself.

If sprinkling with baking soda, pretreating with stain remover and hand washing with dish soap doesn't work to neutralize odors, you can try solutions like using a small amount of vinegar or ammonia to help remove the smell.

Additional Service Request Options You can also request service by calling us at 800-477-5050, faxing a notarized copy of a document(s) listed below to 877-635-9549 or visiting one of our direct payment offices.

How late can Consumers Energy bill be? ›

There is a 2% late payment fee on energy charges that were not paid. Residential customers will be charged when you have unpaid payments due that are six or more days late. Commercial or industrial customers will be charged when you have unpaid payments due that are four or more days late.

CMS Energy

Consumers Energy / Parent organization

As the USDA notes in Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency, your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power.

Outages typically last 1-2 hours.

Walkie talkies or multi-pack handheld radios may be an option to communicate short distances. Satellite phones are an expensive but reliable way to communicate when power is out and can be purchased online.

One of the first things you should do during a power outage is unplug any appliances or electronics to avoid power surge damage once the power is restored. Sensitive devices should be on surge protectors to prevent damage if you can't unplug them in time.

The power is out. The electricity went out. We just experienced a power outage.

Dear [Customer's Name], We are experiencing a utility failure that is currently impacting our energy services. We understand the inconvenience this can cause and assure you that our team is working diligently to rectify the issue. We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time.