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Utility pole in Michigan

The Grid Audit of DTE and Consumers Energy: Some Early Takeaways

On Sept. 23 one of the most significant milestones in the effort to (hopefully) improve Michiganā€™s poor electric reliability arrived when the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) released the results of a year-in-the-making, comprehensive audit of the distribution systems of both DTE and Consumers Energy by third-party The Liberty Consulting Group. ā€œWe now have a […]

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Indiana Michigan Power Service Territory

Indiana Michigan Power Rate Case Has Some Notable Victories for Ratepayers

Last week the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) approved a $17.3 million rate increase for electric customers of Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), which, while still too high, represents another example of the MPSC demanding greater accountability for Michigan utilities because the commissioners cut the rate hike by 50% compared to I&Mā€™s initial request. ā€œThe MPSC

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Consumers Energyā€™s offices at One Energy Plaza, Jackson

Consumers Energyā€™s Distribution Reliability Plan: ā€œLike Build[ing] a New House Instead of Fixing the Roof

On March 1, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC)Ā approvedĀ Consumers Energyā€™s latest electric rate case with an order that cut the rate increase by about 45% compared to what the utility had proposed. During the MPSCā€™s meeting Commissioner Alessandra Carreon explained one reason why the utility did not get all the spending approved for cost recovery

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Energy bill

MPSC Proposal for Financial Rewards to Utilities Faces Opposition

Regulations that punish utilities for poor performance is perhaps what Michiganders need the most to get more accountability and better electric reliability. But utilities are steering the regulatory process to craft new regulations toward weak and self-serving rules. Now that process is getting the spotlight it deserves with a recentĀ Detroit News articleĀ that reports on how

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2023 Utility Performance Report cover

CUB of Michigan Releases 2023 Utility Performance Report

The newĀ Utility Performance Report for 2023Ā is the latest edition of CUBā€™s annual series reporting federal data on how Michigan electric and gas utilities stack up to utilities around the country on performance on key reliability, affordability and environmental metrics (Blog postsĀ hereĀ andĀ hereĀ provide some interesting detail about last yearā€™s report). This yearā€™s report stands out for two

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DTE building

Administrative Law Judge Questions Cost- Effectiveness, Credibility of DTE Rate Case Proposal

A promising sign recently came in DTEā€™s pending electric rate case when an administrative law judge released a strongly-wordedĀ proposal for decisionĀ (essentially a recommendation for the Michigan Public Service Commission [MPSC]) finding that nearly half of the rate hike that DTE is asking for should be rejected. The judge agreed with arguments from CUB and other

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Energy bill

Performance-Based Regulation in Michigan: What To Do, and What Not To Do

The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Michigan is working to ensure that penalties on utilities for poor electric reliability are paid to Michigan residents who are most harmed by power outages and that utilities do not get rewarded for substandard performance as part of a proposed new regulatory construct. CUB laid out its stances inĀ commentsĀ recently

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Electrical lines against blue sky

Michigan Regulators Propose Tying Utility Earnings to Improvements on Power Outage Performance

CUB has been arguing for years that a key part of the solution to Michiganā€™s problem of poor electric reliability and high energy costs for customers has to be performance-based regulation: rules that hold utilities accountable by financially penalizing them if they fail to perform well on metrics like the number of outages. Now, the

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DTE SAIDI & Distribution Plant Addition Trend

Testimony in DTE Rate Case Shows That Historic Rate Hike Is Not Justified

New expert witness testimony filed in DTEā€™s latest electric rate case exposes how the utilityā€™s proposed rate hike,Ā one of its biggest ever, does not deliver value to customers and fails to take the steps needed to turn around DTEā€™s abysmal record on reliability. This rate case is another example of how Michiganā€™s utility regulatory system

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Electrical lines against sunset

Michigan Utility Regulators Hear Anger and Frustration Over Outages at Town Hall Meetings

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) held three town hall meetings this week where they heard hours of testimonials, many of them filled with outrage, about the recent severe power outages. Along withĀ the Michigan House committee hearing last weekĀ and a Michigan Senate committee hearing on March 23, the response to the performance of DTE Energy

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