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 director of the Energy Reliability Division form a technical advisory committee to assess whether the PSC’s current regulatory implementation of the federal law is still appropriate, then report that last month. The PSC agreed with its staff’s recommendations in that report and on Tuesday directed various regulated utilities to file proposed avoided cost calculations and proposed standard rate tariffs by June 17.
The in-state utilities (Consumers Energy, DTE Electric Company, Alpena Power Company, Upper Peninsula Power Company and Thumb Electric Cooperative) will then provide the avoided costs calculations using two specific methodologies, the PSC said in a statement.
Indiana Michigan Power Company, Northern States Power Company, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and Wisconsin Electric Power Company will have to file their avoided cost method and calculations by June 30.
CONSUMERS BILLING: The PSC also granted Consumers Energy Company waivers of certain billing rules for up to 15,000 customers participating in its pre-pay pilot program from June 1, 2016 to June 30, 2019 (case U-18060). In approving the pilot program for smart-meter enabled residents, the PSC also directed the utility to provide staff of the Michigan Agency for Energy with monthly reports.
This story was published by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on www.gongwer.com
