LANSING – Final agreements, though not final bill drafts, appeared in place late Monday to allow the Michigan energy package to move on to Governor Jennifer Granholm this week.

Both Rep. Frank Accavitti Jr. (D-Eastpointe), chair of the conference committee on HB 5524 , and Sen. Patricia Birkholz (R-Saugatuck Twp.), chair of the conference committee on SB 213 , said they had agreements on their respective legislation that could at least see discussion and potentially action at meetings scheduled Tuesday.

“I believe that both pieces of legislation will be out of the House and Senate chambers by the end of the week,” Accavitti told Gongwer News Service. “It’s time to get it finished.”

Accavitti said the final draft, pending any needed technical amendments, was to be distributed late Monday, though as of publication time it had not. Birkholz said the agreement on her bill was to be distributed at the posted 8:30 a.m. meeting with an actual vote expected after Senate session.

The renewable portfolio standard in SB 213 would require 10 percent of all electricity in the state be from renewable sources by 2015 with some interim goals, Birkholz told Gongwer News Service. She said the target “will encourage some people to stretch.”

The agreement, which included Rep. Jeff Mayes (D-Bay City) and representatives of the administration and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop (R-Rochester), would also encourage more energy efficiency, she said. And the Public Service Commission would be required to provide more regular reports to the Legislature on the progress of the utilities.

Accavitti said the agreement on his bill still includes among the key provisions that choice would be limited to 10 percent of the load and schools would be assured a special lower rate.

He said the cap would exempt companies already using an alternative electric provider if they choose to expand. The bill also would allow Cleveland Cliffs mining company to fall outside the cap, but Accavitti said that was because the company was served by Wisconsin Energy, over which the state has less control than Michigan-based utilities.

He said a similar carve-out was made from the requirement that utilities use Michigan residents on their repair and construction crews for WE and AEP, based in Indiana but serving customers in some areas in the southwest corner of the state.

But opponents of the choice limits urged legislators to have fiscal analyses done on the bills before taking final votes. “Lawmakers have not had the opportunity to review the specific bills they are voting on with the families, businesses and local governments who will be paying massive increases in electric rates hidden in the legislation,” the Customer Choice Coalition said in a release.

Supporters have argued rates would increase more without the bills because the utilities would have no incentive to invest in power production in the state.

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