Utility crews works through lockdown in Lansing  

WEDNESDAY, March 25 — With the streets of Greater Lansing much quieter than usual under a statewide lockdown on nonessential business, the Lansing Board of Water & Light is using the time to its advantage. 

Given the significant decrease in traffic over the last two days, crews in Lansing have been able to streamline operations — in a safer environment — to replace up to 15 streetlights daily this week, officials said. The maintenance was already planned before COVID-19 hit Michigan and can continue as an essential operation. 

BWL has also implemented a work-from-home strategy for office-based employees and enforced social distancing measures for its field and plant workers to help reduce the spread of coronavirus in Lansing. While the customer service lobby is closed, call centers remain open and bills can be paid at lbwl.com/paybill. 

All electric and water shut offs have also been suspended in the city of Lansing until further notice. Customers, though, are still encouraged to set up a bill payment plan so as not to fall behind when the moratorium is lifted. 

“These are unprecedented times and we’re doing everything we can to keep our customers, employees and their families safe and healthy,” General Manager Dick Peffley said in a recent statement posted to the BWL website. “The goal is to reduce the number of employees working on site to provide social distancing, while still providing the best possible utility services to our customers.” 

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