LANSING – As has been the case with numerous other utilities that had imposed a surcharge upon their customers to pay for their renewable energy investments as mandated by the 2008 energy law, the Public Service Commission on Thursday approved a settlement agreement amending DTE Electric Company’s renewable energy plan to eliminate the utility’s energy surcharge of 43 cents per meter per month, effective January 1, 2016.
“The falling cost of wind-generated energy has prompted DTE to eliminate its renewable energy surcharge,” PSC Chair John Quackenbush said in a statement about the settlement (case U-17793). “DTE joins Consumers Energy, which eliminated the renewable energy surcharge last year. More Michigan customers will see the tangible benefits of lower renewable energy costs on their bills.”
In a separate case, the PSC approved a settlement agreement reconciling DTE Electric Company’s 2014 energy optimization plan expenses, resulting in an increase of 29 cents on the monthly bills of residential customers using 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity a month, effective January 1, 2016 (caseU-17832).
CLOVERLAND ELECTRIC BECOMES MEMBER-REGULATED: The PSC also directed Cloverland Electric Cooperative to make certain filings and to meet with PSC staff as it transitions to a member-regulated cooperative effective January 19, 2016. It will become the eighth electric cooperative to do so since the new law became effective, the PSC said (case U-17971).
INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER COMPANY DECREASE: The PSC also approved a settlement agreement reconciling Indiana Michigan Power Company’s 2014 energy optimization plan expenses, resulting in a decrease of 21 cents on the monthly bills of residential customers using 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity effective with the next billing cycle (case U-17833).
