A MITechNews series examining the technology, infrastructure and policies shaping Michigan's energy future. LANSING — Michigan regulators on Thursday launched a statewide investigation into how the state's three largest electric utilities responded to the powerful July 3 storms that left hundreds of thousands of customers across the Lower Peninsula without electricity during one of the
LANSING – The Whitmer administration has approved key environmental permits for Enbridge's proposed Great Lakes Tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac, marking one of the biggest regulatory victories yet for the controversial Line 5 project while setting the stage for another round of legal and political battles. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and
As Oracle moves ahead with a $4.3 billion AI data center near Ann Arbor, Great Lakes advocates say Michigan needs to know how much water the industry will consume. SALINE - Michigan's race to become a leader in artificial intelligence is accelerating. Oracle is moving forward with what could become one of the state's largest
ANN ARBOR - The City of Ann Arbor has constructed its biggest solar installation to date at Steere Farm Wells, providing power to vital city infrastructure. Steere Farm, on Ann Arbor’s south side, is one of the city’s top-10 electricity users, working to pump water uphill to the Water Treatment Facility, a critical part of
Independent review by the Citizens Research Council largely agrees with state regulators on why Michigan's electric rates remain high—but says policymakers should focus on lowering the cost per kilowatt-hour rather than average monthly bills. LANSING – Ask Michigan homeowners whether electricity has become more expensive and most won't hesitate with the answer. Absolutely. In one
ANN ARBOR — The recent U.S.-Iran conflict may have ended with a ceasefire, but Michigan residents could be paying the bill for months to come. Michigan drivers are currently paying about $4.11 a gallon for regular gasoline, roughly one-third more than a year ago, even after prices retreated from spring highs. At the same time,
COLUMBUS – Ohio consumers are increasingly asking whether they will be forced to pay higher electric bills to support the massive power demands of AI data centers, a debate that is now beginning to take shape in Michigan. While average residential electric bills in Michigan remain lower than those in neighboring Ohio, regulators, utilities, consumer
ANN ARBOR - Michigan consumers could be facing another round of economic pain as major oil companies and commodity traders warn that global petroleum inventories are falling to unusually low levels, raising concerns that crude oil prices could surge to $150 per barrel or higher if another major supply disruption occurs. For Michigan residents, the
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Michigan households pay hundreds of dollars more annually for electricity than the national average. The story compared residential electricity rates per kilowatt-hour rather than average monthly electric bills. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration cited by the Michigan Public Service Commission,
ANN ARBOR - On June 1, millions of customers served by DTE Energy and Consumers Energy moved onto seasonal "time-of-use" electric rates that charge more for electricity during periods of highest demand. The pricing structure is designed to reduce stress on the electric grid during hot summer afternoons. But it also means households that run
