MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Wisconsin is no stranger to severe weather, and We Energies is working to improve its response to power outages so customers spend less time in the dark.

The company has installed more than 700 smart switches across its system. The technology can, in some cases, automatically restore power before crews even leave to respond.

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"What this switch can do is it quickly determines if there really is an issue or if it's only on one of the lines and not all the lines, and it closes it and restores power," We Energies spokesperson Brendan Conway said. "It's simple, but it's really cutting-edge technology."

So far this year, Conway said more than 30,000 customers have had their power "basically instantly restored" in situations that otherwise would have required a crew to make repairs.

"We've gone to regulators. They've given us permission to do this as part of rates, so certainly this is the story we're trying to tell customers," Conway said. "We are making investments in the reliability. We're making investments in the grid because we know our customers care a lot about making sure power stays on."

In total, the switches and other grid technology have helped We Energies customers avoid nearly 3 million minutes of outage time so far this year.

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"We can't control Mother Nature, but what we can control is how we're going to respond before and after," Conway said. "All we can do is focus on making sure we're as proactive and prepared as possible."

We Energies plans to install between 100 and 150 smart switches each year for the next three years.