When entering Omer’s city limits from either end, a sign with three simple, yet distinct words greets visitors: Michigan’s smallest city.

It’s a badge of honor for the just under 300 residents who proudly call the Sunrise Side city home. Over the years, Omer has gone back and forth with Lake Angelus, both claiming they are the smallest city in the Mitten State.

No matter the population, we treat Omer and the rest of Arenac County with the same diligent dedication as the larger Michigan cities with tens of thousands of people and numerous big businesses. And those with populations in between get the same hometown treatment. This is our pledge to every customer we serve.

Arenac County, with a population of about 15,000, is just one of the many areas we are focused on when it comes to our Reliability Roadmap, a blueprint with a long-term goal where no outage affects more than 100,000 customers or lasts more than 24 hours.

Stepping Up

We’re focused on improving reliability to Arenac County to help with its residential and industrial  growth by bringing new, stronger poles to the region with new lines and line sensors that can better identify when there are interruptions to the grid.

Currently, crews are working to build a new substation in Au Gres. This will help triple the electric capacity in the community – with a new electric high-voltage distribution line, an upgraded low-voltage line and the substation. This will enhance economic development potential while boosting safety and reliability.

Dale Wiltse, city manager for Au Gres, said with an aging population that mainly lives in rural areas and deals with severe weather throughout the year, they need reliable service.

“Consumers Energy has done a lot up here to give us reliable power,” said Wiltse. “This new substation, when it’s online, it will help us greatly.”

Wiltse said Au Gres is working toward a campground expansion and new senior living and housing projects.

“You can’t progress if you don’t have the energy to give them,” he said. “Consumers Energy has really stepped up its game for us when it comes to reliability. They have been somebody we can count on.”

Here are a few other reliability projects we have either completed, are working on, or will be bringing to the Arenac County region.

  • A new substation – Riverbend – is being built in Omer, which will eventually take on the power load currently being supplied by the Bessinger Substation. As part of the project, there will also be voltage conversions that will further improve reliability and deliver more energy for Omer and the surrounding area.
  • A second substation – Santiago – is being built in Au Gres that will replace the existing substation currently supplying power to the area. Once construction is complete, the process of voltage converting the city will begin, bringing additional reliability and capacity improvements.
  • A project was recently approved that will upgrade a distribution line that feeds 620 customers around Forest Lake. Changes to the line include extending a third phase, upgrading conductor material and relocating part of the line underground. With additional planned system protection changes, downstream customers will see benefits to reliability and capacity.
  • Reliability improvements to two substations – Duquite and Standish – that will deliver more energy to the communities they power.
  • An underground project in Standish that will help improve reliability for a neighborhood of about 20 on Palmer Road.
  • We replaced 21 poles in Standish along Setlack Road from Hull to Hagley roads to provide better reliability to residents.
  • At the Duquite substation, 13 line sensors have been added to detect any disruptions.
  • We installed 75 new fuses that will help improve reliability to Standish residents.
  • In 2025, we plan on making improvements to the Duquite substation that will improve reliability to nearly 700 residents on East City Limits Road. A spacer cable will be installed, making it harder for a tree to hit wires on the ground.
  • Also in 2025, we plan on relocating lines and installing 22 new poles to improve reliability for 31 customers in the Setlack Road area.
  • A battery facility in Standish that will help reduce peak energy demand at the Standish Substation, improving service reliability for homes and businesses in the area.

Fueling Growth

Bradley Mason, city manager for Standish, said the businesses within the park include manufacturers of fire suppression and casting systems.

“There are a lot of jobs created by these places and a lot of people depend on Consumers Energy to power these factories,” he said. “We are pretty excited about it and how it will fuel growth here in Standish.”

Mason and Wiltse agree that Consumers Energy has been a great partner in helping current businesses and residents while also giving Standish, Au Gres and the rest of Arenac County every opportunity for growth.

“I’ve lived in Standish my whole life,” Mason said. “And it’s an incredible feeling of security when you call on Consumers Energy. They are so responsive. They take care of your needs right away.”