DTE Energy Substation to Power Little Caesars Arena, The District Detroit

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DTE Energy has built a new substation and a customized underground electrical system to power Little Caesars Arena — the new home for the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons — and the District Detroit surrounding the arena.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held today to celebrate the opening of the $863 million facility that took three years to build. The arena is part of the larger District Detroit, a 50-block development planned around the arena and will feature restaurants, bars, and businesses.

The multi-use facility, to open next Tuesday with a concert by Kid Rock, includes high-tech entertainment features such as 45 LED displays covering 13,500 square feet, a projector the size of two football fields, one of the largest seamless center-hung scoreboard in North America, and more than 16.5 million LED lights.

“DTE is committed to supporting the economic growth and prosperity of the City of Detroit, and building the infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of businesses now and in the future,” says Jerry Norcia, president and COO of DTE Energy.

Norcia says the updated electrical system will allow arena staff to monitor the venue’s energy load and reroute power as needed. Additionally, Norcia says DTE Energy’s investment in the new infrastructure enables future economic growth in the city

The Detroit-based utility is also the provider of natural gas for the arena, which features 67 fireplaces in suites and lounges. The company’s other recent projects include building new infrastructure for the QLINE, installing energy efficient LED lighting on several metro Detroit freeways, and converting more than 100 business customers from the Detroit Public Lighting Department to DTE’s energy grid.