LANSING – Low-income customers of Consumers Energy would have more time to repay back utility bills and would not have power disconnected in summer as well as winter under a program approved Tuesday by the Public Service Commission.
The new shut-off protection plan requires applicants to sign up for 18 months, but also then provides them 18 months to repay any arrearages. The Winter Protection Plan, statutorily required for all utilities, allows only 12 months to repay back bills.
The new plan (case No. U-15723) is open to customers earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty line, above the 150 percent of poverty provided in the statutory program. Consumers’ program also allows customers to reapply for shut-off protection if they have previously been removed from the plan for not keeping up with required payments.
“More customers now have more choices available to them to avoid utility shutoffs,” said PSC Chair Orjiakor Isiogu. “That is good news for customers who may be struggling to pay utility bills. Interested customers should contact Consumers Energy to get more details about enrolling in the program.”
GAS CHOICE: A still growing number of natural gas customers are looking to alternative providers for their supply, the PSC reported Tuesday. In October there were 377,955 customers obtaining gas from a supplier other than their local utility, up from the previous peak of 374,095 in September 2002.
And, at 68.232 billion cubic feet of gas used, choice customers neared the record volume of 68.849 billion cubic feet set in February 2003.
RENEWABLE POWER: Detroit Edison has two contracts for existing renewable power and an opportunity to try a new technology for wind power under orders from the commission Tuesday (case No. 15806).
A change to Edison’s contract with Heritage Stoney Corners Wind Farm I LLC allows the company to install a new 2.2 megawatt turbine using a new generator system.
The order also approves Edison’s 10-year contract with Sterling Planet and seven-year contract with the Upper Peninsula Power Company for renewable power.
SMALL BILLS: Customers of Edison and sister company Michigan Consolidated Gas who use relatively small amounts of power will soon see bigger bills, just less often.
The commission approved a billing rules waiver (case No. U-14851) for the two utilities that allows them to bill every three months for customers using less than $30 a month in power. The utilities said they send out about 1 million such bills annually and sending them less often would cut administrative costs
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