LANSING - The Public Service Commission has approved a voluntary renewable energy pilot program for DTE Electric Company allowing program participants to obtain a larger amount of renewable energy than the 10 percent mandated by the state's 2008 energy law. The new program will be limited to an additional 150,000 megawatt-hours of generation from company-owned
LANSING - The Public Service Commission on Thursday authorized the Upper Peninsula Power Company to increase its electric rates, but by an amount 30.4 percent lower than the utility had requested. Also, because the final amount approved ($4,647,975 annually) is lower than the more than $6.2 million the utility self-implemented in March, the PSC said
LANSING - Consumers Energy on Thursday announced a rate increase of 4.2 percent for all of its customers, residential and business, averaging about $4.09 per month for the typical home. In March, the utility filed a $225 million request with the PSC to adjust its electric rate structure but has since come down to $170
LANSING - Consumers Energy will fully comply with the Public Service Commission's order on Thursday that it pay a fine of more than $518,000 in relation to its billing practices of providing customers will estimates for some 16 months. "We recognize that our performance on this issue does not reflect our standards of customer service,
LANSING - The Michigan Public Service Commission on Tuesday began proceedings to establish updated avoided costs for rate-regulated electric utilities under a federal law, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, which allows certain small power producers to sell their electricity to utilities. In the case (case U-18089), the PSC had ordered last October that its
LANSING - The estimated renewable energy percentage is expected to exceed the 10 percent requirement, a report released Friday by the Public Service Commission shows. The PSC's sixth annual report on the implementation of the state's renewable energy standard of 10 percent by 2015 showed already 9.1 percent of the state's electricity had been generated
LANSING - Some 300 fewer customers are participating in electric choice programs as of December 2015 when compared to 2014, the Public Service Commission announced Monday in its annual report on electric competition. But approximately 11,000 customers remain in the queue. Specifically, the report founded about 6,140 customers participating in electric choice programs as of
LANSING - The Michigan Public Service Commission on Tuesday opened an investigation into Consumers Energy Company's estimated billing practices after hearing complaints from customers about estimated bills. "Problems have persisted for several years despite repeated meetings between the MPSC staff and the utility to reduce the number of estimated bills," PSC Chair Sally Talberg said
LANSING - Rep. Aric Nesbitt said this week there is room for technical and clerical changes in legislation overhauling the state's energy laws, but changes to the competition and competitive bidding pieces are unlikely. Nesbitt's (R-Lawton) energy plan in HB 4298, HB 4297 and HB 4575 has been sitting on the House floor since early
LANSING - The Michigan House Energy Policy Committee reported a bill this month that included language requiring alternative electric suppliers in the state to have enough capacity for their customers for the following three years if a shortfall was determined, and some choice advocates say it would compromise the market in the state. Jason Geer,
