Posted on 03/05/2012 9:41:10 AM PST by cripplecreek
JACKSON --Consumers Energy wants to recover $32.6 million from electric customers.
The Jackson-based utility filed an application last week with the Michigan Public Service Commission to recover revenue for the period of December 2010 through November 2011 to level out variations in sales.
Consumers filed two options to recover this money. The first would refund about $5.2 million to residential customers, charge $6.2 million to those who use lower voltages of power, and charge $31.6 million to higher-voltage customers.
The second option would be to charge all customers $28.2 million, charge $4.8 million to lower-voltage customers and refund $396,000 to higher-voltage customers.
The company wants to recover the money by Nov. 30, 2013.
Spokesman Dan Bishop declined comment on the case beyond what was filed in the application.
In a separate case, Consumers plans to refund about $12.7 million to electric customers and $5.7 million to gas customers.
The refund is the result of a Michigan Court of Appeals ruling last summer that said the Low-Income and Energy Efficiency Fund no longer was authorized.
Gov. Rick Snyder recently signed bills that created a new $58 million fund to replace the Low Income and Energy Efficiency Fund. The replacement plan – the Vulnerable Household Warmth Fund – called for refunding or rebating about $48 million that was collected in escrow since the Court of Appeals ruling. The charge on utility bills resumes until $48 million is raised for the new fund. An additional $10 million was directed to come from the state’s general fund.
The money is expected to provide heating assistance to 95,000 low-income Michigan residents.
Me, too. I think that's the idea.
More for using less, and more for using more. Some one has gotta pay to keep the ghetto warm. It ain't gonna be the company.
It is the goal of all public utility companies. First they beg us to “use less” of their product and then they increase the price.....
Privatize them now! Grrr...
you want confused??? consumers is a gas company. Edison is the electric company. I get my electricity from consumers and my gas from edison.... some kind of state regulation or something...
I just called Consumers this morning to correct their 1000 kwh overestimation on my bill. I didn’t realize they were just “leveling”.
They are attempting to retroactively RAISE THEIR PRICES!!!
Tell them, as soon as your retroactive pay raise comes in, you’ll send the check.....
Do you own Consumers stock (if they are publicly traded)? You may get your money back in dividends. Some of it, anyway.
Years ago there was a "water shortage" in the Los Angeles area, so the utilities urged everyone to save water. The people saved so much the utilities came back and asked for a rate increase to maintain their mandated return on investment.
Others will no doubt add that the same game was played in their area.
if they send you an estimated bill, simply send them back an estimated payment......
We’re in the Metro area, other parts of the state get both from Consumers.
Ah, Consumers is a privately owned utility thus it has already been “privatized” On the other hand the City of Lansing owns the electric company serving the community and thus is a “publicly” owned utility.
“More for using less, and more for using more. And that, in a nutshell, is why Americans will never buy into conservation. It doesn’t pay.”
Several years ago, we were bombarded with “CONSERVE WATER!” messages during a particularly severe drought.
That Fall, the Indianapolis Water Utility demanded a RATE INCREASE, because water usage had dropped.
Martinsville did the same thing with my business in town, thank God I’m rural with well and septic at home.
same with property taxes — my assessed value keeps going down, but how long can the city afford to run if they let all our taxes go down as well?
same with property taxes — my assessed value keeps going down, but how long can the city afford to run if they let all our taxes go down as well?
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