Homeowner working to get lights back on in flood-damaged home

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    SANFORD, MI (WNEM ) — Rebecca Johnson is like a lot of Mid-Michigan residents trying to pick up the pieces after historic flooding tore through the region three weeks ago.

“It’s a lot of effort,” she said.

Johnson has no power, and with the weather already feeling like the dog days of summer, it only adds to the challenge.

“I’m hoping to get this power turned on so we can quit running the generators, quit having to run for gas,” Johnson said. “I can’t even tell you how much I’ve spent on gas in the past three weeks.”

Johnson and her stepfather spent their day working in the sun trying to get her home ready for electricity.

“Once I get this meter replaced and the wires replaced, I’m going to give them a call and see if they’ll come out and at least get me a plug set up so I can quit running a generator,” she said.

Village of Sanford President Dolores Porte tells us a lot people are in a situation similar to Johnson’s.

“That’s an issue that we need to continue to work on, make sure they’re able to get the electrical permit they need in a timely manner,” Porte said. “Make sure that Consumers is able to turn that around for the resident.”

A Consumers Energy spokesperson says that the company has developed a process to coordinate with the Midland and Sanford electrical inspectors to restore electric service safely and as quickly as possible.

Consumers Energy has completed reconnection work following this process at more than 300 homes, averaging about 27 homes per day.

For her part, Johnson is hoping to get power back soon. It’s just the start of a long process to make her house a home again.

“I’ve only been here a year and I’ve already put so much work into the house, to have to start all over,” she said. “But I’m going to do it.”

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