LANSING – The Michigan Public Service Commission announced $62 million in low-income assistance grants and $5 million in energy efficiency grants from the Low-Income and Energy Efficiency Fund.
As has been typical, the largest portion of the assistance grants (docket No. U-13129), $35 million, went to the Department of Human Services for assistance those not qualifying for other state assistance programs.
The Heat and Warmth Fund saw the next largest total, with $7.88 million for direct assistance, the same amount given to the Salvation Army, as well as $3.5 million for a demonstration project on affordable power.
TrueNorth Community Services received $3 million for direct assistance to residents of Benzie, Lake, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola and Wexford counties
The $5 million energy efficiency grant (also docket No. U-13129) went to the Clean Energy Coalition for its ongoing program to install energy upgrades and small-scale renewable power in Cities of Promise-designated communities.
EFFICIENCY UNITED: The partnership between 11 of the state’s smaller electric and natural gas utilities saved 66.2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 380 million cubic feet of natural gas last year by helping residents install energy efficient lighting, heating and air conditioning, Efficiency United announced.
The partnership was developed through the state energy optimization plan administrator appointed by the PSC in 2009.
The commission also approved settlement agreements that reconcile contributions from three of the participating utilities into the program.
Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation will pay $2.43 million (docket No. U-16292) and its customers will see a bill increase to cover the $375,140 the utility was short in its collections toward the fund. SEMCO Energy Gas Company will pay $4.8 million (docket No. U-16294) and will collect an extra $410,193 from its customers over the next year to cover under-collections for 2010. Wisconsin Public Service Corporation will pay $74,799 for natural gas service and $215,224 for electric service (docket No. U-16363) and will refund $14,213 to electric customers and surcharge $4,057 natural gas customers to balance its books.
REFUND: Indiana Michigan Power Company (American Electric Power) will refund $3 million to its customers for overcharges after implementing more of a rate increase than the PSC ultimately allowed (docket No. U-16531).
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