CUB, the Michigan Attorney General and other parties have reached a settlement with the Upper Peninsula utility Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp. (UMERC) that the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) expects will help confront the greater UP’s problem of overreliance on natural gas (U-21081). The settlement, approved by the MPSC at its May 12 meeting, […]
In its first major regulation in response to the frequent power outages that have plagued Michigan consumers, the Michigan Public Service Commission on March 17 failed to approve important reforms advocated by the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan, Attorney General Dana Nessel and many other stakeholders that would have created additional consumer protections to set
Several weeks ago the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) issued a disappointing order that, for the most part, ignored the reforms proposed by the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Michigan and other groups and did not hold the state’s utilities accountable for increasingly frequent power outages. Read our blog post here and our initial statement for the full background on
Legislation Introduced to Address Poor Electric Reliability in Michigan Read More »
Today at 6-8 pm, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) is holding a virtual public forum on Indiana Michigan Power Co.’s integrated resource plan (IRP), giving customers of the utility the chance to voice their thoughts on Indiana Michigan Power’s plan that outlines from where it will obtain power over the next 20 years. Go
Indiana Michigan Power Customers: Hearing to Examine Future of Your Power Read More »
“DTE and Consumers Energy, which together provide power to a majority of Michigan residents, appear to be aiming for just marginal improvements in grid reliability. Much more is needed for Michigan residents to be safe and secure in their homes with stable access to electricity, a basic necessity,” CUB Executive Director Amy Bandyk wrote in
Michigan PSC Order on Reliability Standards Lets Down Michigan Ratepayers Read More »
The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Michigan, the state’s independent nonprofit residential utility ratepayer advocate, is proud to announce that it has elected Keith Cooley as its next president, replacing Robert Nelson, who recently concluded his three-year term as president and will continue to serve on CUB’s board of directors. Marquette City Commissioner and CUB Secretary
Keith Cooley Elected President of the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan Read More »
When you pay your utility bills, you pay for the energy that goes into your home and the infrastructure that carries it there. But many people do not know that your bill payments also may help fund political stances supported by your utility, either directly or indirectly through trade associations. CUB of Michigan has teamed
CUB and AG Nessel Call for More Transparency on Utility Political Activities Read More »
Just before the holidays, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) issued one of their most notable decisions of 2021: they approved a rate increase for customers of Consumers Energy’s electric utility that was 88% lower than the company initially requested. That is a truly significant change, and CUB was glad to see that much of the reduction
Consumers Energy to Raise Electric Rates, But By Much Less Than Expected Read More »
Electric vehicles (EVs) seem poised to revolutionize both transportation and electric power, but how widely will their benefits be shared across society? Although automakers have been rolling out more affordable models, EVs have tended to be luxury items that are out of reach of most consumers. In addition, the costs of transitioning the grid and
CUB Releases Guide for Best Practices To Introduce EVs for Ratepayers Read More »
The 2021 Utility Performance Report—the latest entry in our annual series of scorecards that rank Michigan utilities compared to those in the rest of the country—is out now! Like last year’s report, this year’s edition again finds that Michigan utilities perform worse than average on most measures of reliability of service, affordability of energy and levels of
