Inclement weather hinders response efforts under Straits of Mackinac

NEWS RELEASE
US COAST GUARD
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MACKINAW CITY, MICH. - The Unified Command announced that crews contracted by American Transmission Company have completed laying concrete mats on top of the capped ATC cables, Saturday, while capping of the Consumers Energy cables has also begun. 

Inclement weather throughout the week, including fog, showers and heavy surf, hindered response efforts.  

All of the affected utility cables owned by ATC were soldered, capped, sealed and laid on the bottom of the Straits of Mackinac in its original position, April 29.

ATC is preparing a long-term plan to remove the damaged cables, under the oversight of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

Efforts are now being focused on three, retired-in-place Consumer Energy Cables. Those cables will be brought up from the bottom of the Straits, sampled, and then capped similar to the process used on the ATC cables, and returned to the bottom of the Straits with concrete mats laid on top of the capped cables.

Consumers Energy reported to the Unified Command that there is no free flowing fluid within their retired cables.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

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