LANSING – The Michigan Public Service Commission approved two settlements Thursday resulting in increases for natural gas customers of Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation and electricity customers of Upper Peninsula Power Company.

Both are related to reconciling each respective company’s 2014 energy optimization revenues and expenses, as well as to revise surcharges.

Effective August 1, residential customers using 100 ccf of natural gas a month will see an increase of 11 cents on their monthly bills (case U-17842).

Also effective August 1, residential customers using 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month with the Upper Peninsula Power Company will see an increase of 5 cents on their monthly bills (case U-17835).

LOW-INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE FUND SURCHARGE: Utility customers and others will have an opportunity to comment on the Public Service Commission’s proposed 98-cent monthly surcharge for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund during the PSC’s public comment period running through July 16.

Customers currently pay 97 cents each month for the fund, a figure on the number of meters provided by utilities that intend to participate in the program, the PSC said in a statement. Utilities that do not participate in the program are prohibited from shutting off service to any residential customers from November 1 to April 15 for nonpayment of a delinquent account.

Utilities that filed notice of their intent to participate in the program are: Northern States Power Company, Alpena Power Company, Consumers Energy Company, DTE Electric Company, Indiana Michigan Power Company, Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association, Midwest Energy Cooperative, Presque Isle Electric and Gas Co-op and Thumb Electric Cooperative.

Utilities that filed notice of their intent to opt-out of the program are: Bayfield Electric Cooperative, Upper Peninsula Power Company, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, Wisconsin Electric Power Company, d/b/a We Energies, Cloverland Electric Cooperative, Great Lakes Energy Cooperative, Ontonagon County Rural Electrification Association, HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative and Cherryland Electric Cooperative.

The Michigan Municipal Electric Association also filed a notice that all of its members would be opting out.

Comments should reference the case number, case U-17377, and must be received no later than July 16. Written comments should be mailed to: Executive Secretary, Michigan Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 30221, Lansing, MI 48909. Electronic comments may be emailed to [email protected]. All information submitted to the Commission is considered public information.

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Author: Staff Writer
Source: Gongwer News Service
Date: 7/9/2015