The Coast Guard is assessing damage to energy cables owned by Consumers Energy that run beneath the Straits of Mackinac.
Damage to the decommissioned cables was discovered while the Coast Guard was surveying American Transmission Company lines, which ruptured last month.
Bobby Nash is with the Coast Guard. He said Consumers Energy will analyze a sample of their line to assess whether it poses a risk.
“We are going down to assess the damage that is done and they have committed to assessing and capping any of the cables that they might have and then returning them to their previous state in the straits.”
Nash said the lines do not have fluid in them.
“This is a very different type of infrastructure. It is different, it has been energized and retired for some time, but we continue to assess and ensure that things are put back as safely and responsibly as possible.”
The Coast Guard has completed its work capping the ATC cables, to keep them from leaking fluid into the straits.