JACKSON MI (WTVB) – After a rate hike approved last week by the Michigan Public Service Commission that will provide funding, Consumers Energy says it will move forward with an aggressive plan to clear trees near power lines and strengthen the grid to deliver energy to nearly two million homes and businesses, under the company’s Reliability Roadmap.
The $153.8 million increase to the utility’s electric rates in Michigan will mean the average Consumers customer will see an increase of around $2.78 on their monthly electric bill once the new rates begin in April 2025.
Consumers says the additional money will allow them perform line clearing work that directly improves electric reliability. Trees are the number one cause of power outages, and the company this year plans to clear trees along 8,000 miles of lines.
Other parts of the Reliability Roadmap in infrastructure upgrades and proactive maintenance planning to find, fix and prevent issues to help the grid’s reliability and lower costs, as well as more technology investments to detect and respond more quickly to power outages.
Chris Laird, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric operations says, “When you see Consumers Energy crews working on a clear day, that means they’re making the grid more prepared to withstand bad weather on the worst days.”
Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties, including Branch County.
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