Michigan DTE workers head to Puerto Rico

WATERFORD, Mich. (WJBK) - Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm, took the lives of more than 500 people last fall. The storm caused damages that added up to nearly $100 billion, third compared to Hurricane Katrine and Hurricane Harvey when it comes to cost. 

Meanwhile, the island of Puerto Rico is still in the dark. 

That's why workers from DTE Energy in metro Detroit are headed down that way to help restore power. DTE has already sent their fleets, so the equipment is already down there on standby.

"From our understanding, there's still a lot of broken poles, a lot of wire down," says James Shaw.

The workers met at Highland Grill in Waterford at 5 a.m. Monday to get a bite to eat and load up the buses before flying out of Oakland County. Eighty workers flew out to the island around 9:45 a.m. 

We're told the effort will last for about 60 days. After the first month, about 50 workers will come back to Michigan and another 50 will be sent to Puerto Rico.