Latest news with #ConsumersEnergy
CBS News
an hour ago
- General
- CBS News
Lansing-area teen dead, another injured, after a power line electrocution incident
One teenager is dead and another hospitalized after a power line electrocution incident near Lansing, Michigan. The accident happened Tuesday near an apartment building in Leslie, according to a report from Leslie Police Chief Evan Bennehoff. While the incident is still under investigation, officers learned "the boys touched the power line with a metal pole," the police chief said. The Leslie Fire Department responded to the call on Worthington Place Drive. A Consumers Energy spokesperson said as a safety measure after the accident, the company cut off the electric circuit to the area, affecting service to 488 customers. "While we do not have updates on the condition of the injured individual, our thoughts are with their loved ones during this difficult time, and we are hoping for a full recovery," the company said. WLNS, the CBS affiliate in Lansing, said in its report the fatality was a 14-year-old and the injured boy was 15.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Michigan AG intervenes after Consumers Energy asks for $436M rate hike
A rate hike started in April for Consumers Energy electric customers, and the company is already well into the process of requesting an even bigger rate increase in 2026 to the tune of $436 million. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Monday that her office filed a notice of intervention with the Michigan Public Service Commission on the pending request. Consumers Energy filed its intention to bump up the rates in 2026 on March 28, seven days after the last increase was approved, and the full application went to the agency on Monday. If the application is approved as presented, it "would increase overall rates by 9.2% and hike household rates by 13.3%," the attorney general's report said. A pretrial hearing on the case is scheduled for July 2. The Consumers Energy service area includes much of mid-Michigan and part of Southeast Michigan. The company has about 1.9 million electricity customers and about 1.8 million natural gas customers. "Without rate relief, Consumers Energy's retail electric rates will be so low as to deprive Consumers Energy of a reasonable return on the Company's property," the pending application states. Under state law, utility companies can file a rate hike request once every 12 months. Nessel has complained in the past about that turnaround time. "The State is allowing these billion-dollar businesses to ask for more and more before anyone can even gauge the impact of the previous rate hike," she said. "Meaning they're back asking for more money before anybody knows if their proposed investments made any difference in reliability or affordability for customers." The Consumers Energy electric rate hike increase for 2025 was 2.8% for residential customers, effective April 4. The 2026 request cites "increasingly severe weather and ongoing deterioration of the system" and its goal of meeting certain revenue marks as the basis for the next increase. Consumers Energy also seeks to recover deferred distribution costs through a separate 12-month surcharge, the attorney general's office said. "This is at least among the largest rate hikes Consumers has ever requested, if not the largest itself," Nessel said about the new filing. Nessel's office routinely files an intervention in major utility rate cases pending with the Michigan Public Service Commission. The attorney general's staff and experts then review the applications and expenditures that are detailed in the documents.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Michigan attorney general to intervene in Consumers Energy's $436 million rate hike plan
Michigan's attorney general took aim Monday at Consumers Energy's proposed rate hike, just days after various advocacy groups rallied outside a state public service commission meeting, uniting to protest DTE Energy's recent plan to increase its rates. The Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a notice of intervention on behalf of Michigan's residents in the electric rate case that the three-member public service commission will consider. Consumers Energy is seeking an annual rate hike of about $436 million, which Nessel said is on top of $24 million more in deferred distribution costs through a surcharge that it is seeking to bill customers. The increase, the Jackson-based power company said in its filing with the state, would cover investments to support "delivery of safe, reliable and resilient, clean and equitable, and competitive energy" to its customers. The utility added in a statement to the Free Press that its request proposes "major investments in line clearing and technology across all communities we serve to support our long-term goal that no customer will go more than 24 hours without power." "We understand many of our customers struggle to pay bills, and we are dedicated to the people who count on us for energy," it said. "We will continue to provide assistance and programs that help people reduce their energy use, pay bills and stay safe in their homes." Nessel has promised to "thoroughly scrutinize" the rate increase, adding that it was part of what she called "a troubling continuation of the patterns" by the state's two largest regulated electric companies. Recent rate hike requests from Consumers Energy and DTE, the attorney general said, have included what Nessel described as "inappropriate costs," which, in DTE's case, she identified as "private jet travel for executive staff" among other things. "At some point, we have to ask how long utility companies like DTE and Consumers Energy will be allowed to treat customer bills and our energy rates like a blank check," Nessel said last month, when Detroit-based DTE said it was seeking to raise rates by $574 million. That is more than double what the company was granted just months ago. What's more, the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan — a nonpartisan, nonprofit group — has found, based on its review of data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, that Michiganders already pay some of the highest energy bills in the Midwest. In addition to high bills, the group also looked at energy reliability, which it said scored low. More: Another DTE rate increase could 'bankrupt' Michigan families, state rep. says Residents, advocacy groups and a state lawmaker, rallied last Thursday outside a Michigan Public Service Commission meeting at Cadillac Place in Detroit to protest DTE' Energy's request for a rate hike. "We must continue to invest to deliver the cleaner and more reliable energy our customers demand and deserve," DTE said in an email to Free Press last week, and that it "is making progress on building the electric grid of the future." State Rep. Donavan McKinney, D-Detroit, who is also running for Congress, addressed the crowd at the rally, saying the proposed hike is devastating for his constituents, many of whom already struggle to pay their bills. The Michigan League of Conservation Voters, a nonprofit group which was at last week's rally, is urging the public service commission to knock down the rate hikes. "Our bills are too damn high," said Alex Kellogg, with the league. "At a time when costs for everything are high, Consumers Energy and DTE are trying to raise our energy bills by a combined amount of more than $1 billion dollars." Nessel, a Democrat, has been vocal in questioning rate hikes. "Before Consumers Energy," she said, "or anyone else for that matter, can even begin to measure any affordability or reliability improvements from their last rate hike, the company is back in business asking to bill their customers an additional $400 million annually." Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan attorney general to look at Consumers Energy rate increase
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Donald Trump's Controversial Step To Not Close Coal-Fired Power Plants
Demolition of smokestacks in coal-fired San Juan Generating Station. We are used to executive orders from President Trump, including one on April 8 stating that the Department of Energy (DOE) could step in and prevent coal-fired power plants from closing if an emergency shortage of electricity existed in that region. But few expected the DOE to step in so soon and force a coal plant in Michigan to stay open on May 23 just a week before the closure date. This upends a lot of thinking about pollution of coal power plants, so how are the feds justifying this action? Bloomberg Green Newsletter on May 30 reported that the Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, announced on May 23 that the Campbell plant in West Olive, Michigan, will stay open for another three months under authority of the Federal Power Act. The plant is old, built in 1962, but generates a lot of electricity, 1.45 GW (gigawatts). It had planned to be closed by the owner, Consumers Energy, on May 31. Why the sudden fed action? An emergency order from Wright said, 'I hereby determine that an emergency exists in portions of the Midwest region of the United States due to a shortage of electric energy, a shortage of facilities for the generation of electric energy, and other causes.' There are two sides of the coin, according to the Bloomberg report. On one side is the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), a regional enterprise extending from Montana to Michigan and south to Louisiana and Texas. MISO has pointed out an increased risk of electricity shortages this summer, due to greater demand from industry and data centers, but also due to closing of fossil-fueled plants. In the next five years, over 120 coal plants in the U.S. are planned to close. The last 80 coal-fired plants in the U.S. are scheduled to close by 2040. On the other hand, an electricity emergency doesn't exist, according to MISO and Michigan officials. MISO's analysis showed generating capacity was sufficient for this year. The Public Service Commission of Michigan said the recent order from the DOE was unnecessary. The order would also boost the cost of electricity in Michigan and across the Midwest. The owner of the plant, Consumers Energy, has been deferring maintenance of the plant, and no longer ships coal there; it also has plans to move workers elsewhere. In short, to fix up the plant in order to keep it open would be costly. Coal electricity is now down to 15% from its peak of 50% U.S. supply in 2011. Why? One answer is renewables and batteries are cheaper. Another answer is air pollution. As documented by Bloomberg and Pope, in their book Climate Of Hope, 'Particulate matter from burning coal contributes to strokes, heart disease, lung disease, and cancer. If we could eliminate all the coal-fired power plants in China and India alone, we would save half a million lives every year.' The book attributes 7 million deaths globally from air pollution. Note: these are 2017 numbers. The book distinguishes air pollution from carbon pollution (climate change), which is also discussed in the book under the headings of Rising Seas, Severe Heat, Ocean Life, and Political Instability. Coal burns dirty and is the worst source of carbon polluting greenhouse gases. Fossil energies provide about 83% of the world's energy, but cause around 73% of greenhouse emissions. So, extending the life of a coal-fired power plant does not seem to be the best solution to an electrical crisis if or when it happens. Here is a recent summary of several alternatives that were laid out with arguments pro and con. Natural gas power plants provide 43% of grid electricity in the U.S., so gas plants would be using technology that the country already relies upon. Although Rystad Energy argue that global power demand will increase strongly this year and in years ahead, they predict fossil fuels will peak shortly in the power sector. Nuclear power is in the news since President Trump unleashed on May 23 executive orders on accelerating nuclear technologies. First, the cost of new nuclear reactors, whether traditional reactors or SMRs, is substantially higher than renewable energies. Second is the ubiquitous threat of exposure to nuclear radiation, either from nuclear accidents or from underground storage of nuclear waste. Third is that modern forms of nuclear energy, including SMRs, are at the commercial starting gate, illustrated by one of the first domestic contracts that was canceled by a Utah community when the SMR price grew 50% more than agreed to. Renewables. As well as commercial success in Australia, 90% of new energy in the U.S. in 2024 was provided by wind and solar renewables. Globally, renewables are rising and catching up to fossil sources in their percentages of electric power. There are three clear advantages of renewables. One is commercial success of current operations in the U.S. and Australia. Two is cheaper cost, particularly PV solar and storage batteries. Three, renewables tied to grid-scale batteries provide dispatchable power. The big battery at Hornsdale Power Reserve. The big battery at Hornsdale Power Reserve. Source: David Box. As energy secretary Chris Wright commented on Trump's executive order unleashing nuclear electricity, 'Nuclear has the potential to be America's greatest source of energy addition. It works whether the wind is blowing, or the sun is shining, is possible anywhere and at different scales.' The latter sentence is a negative reference to non-dispatchable renewable energies. But this is false: when a battery energy storage system (BESS) is connected to wind or solar, it makes the energy dispatchable. For example, in the state of South Australia renewables plus BESS have been providing 72% of grid electricity continuously for three years, and this is expected to rise to 100% by 2027. Renewables plus batteries have proven the stability of renewables commercially. Rystad Energy has reported that global battery systems set a record 200 gigawatt-hours (GWh) last year, implying a growth rate of 80%. Beginning at 0.5 terawatts (TW) in 2024, total BESS capacity will rise by almost ten times to over 4 TW by 2040. BESS, first built in 2017 by Elon Musk as the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia, are expanding rapidly in the U.S. Intermittent power is no longer a reason to dismiss renewables, because BESS have solved this problem and solar and wind renewables with BESS are dispatchable. The answer to an electricity crisis in the U.S., which may be coming with the AI revolution, is renewables—especially PV solar plus battery storage, because they are cheaper and faster to install. Growth in U.S. renewables, strong in 2024, will continue to provide dispatchable power for new data centers, industry decarbonization, and also electric vehicles.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
U.S. Government Controversial Step To Not Close Coal-Fired Power Plant
Demolition of smokestacks in coal-fired San Juan Generating Station. We are used to executive orders from President Trump, including one on April 8 stating that the Department of Energy (DOE) could step in and prevent coal-fired power plants from closing if an emergency shortage of electricity existed in that region. But few expected the DOE to step in so soon and force a coal plant in Michigan to stay open on May 23 just a week before the closure date. This upends a lot of thinking about pollution of coal power plants, so how are the feds justifying this action? Bloomberg Green Newsletter on May 30 reported that the Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, announced on May 23 that the Campbell plant in West Olive, Michigan, will stay open for another three months under authority of the Federal Power Act. The plant is old, built in 1962, but generates a lot of electricity, 1.45 GW (gigawatts). It had planned to be closed by the owner, Consumers Energy, on May 31. Why the sudden fed action? An emergency order from Wright said, 'I hereby determine that an emergency exists in portions of the Midwest region of the United States due to a shortage of electric energy, a shortage of facilities for the generation of electric energy, and other causes.' There are two sides of the coin, according to the Bloomberg report. On one side is the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), a regional enterprise extending from Montana to Michigan and south to Louisiana and Texas. MISO has pointed out an increased risk of electricity shortages this summer, due to greater demand from industry and data centers, but also due to closing of fossil-fueled plants. In the next five years, over 120 coal plants in the U.S. are planned to close. The last 80 coal-fired plants in the U.S. are scheduled to close by 2040. On the other hand, an electricity emergency doesn't exist, according to MISO and Michigan officials. MISO's analysis showed generating capacity was sufficient for this year. The Public Service Commission of Michigan said the recent order from the DOE was unnecessary. The order would also boost the cost of electricity in Michigan and across the Midwest. The owner of the plant, Consumers Energy, has been deferring maintenance of the plant, and no longer ships coal there; it also has plans to move workers elsewhere. In short, to fix up the plant in order to keep it open would be costly. Coal electricity is now down to 15% from its peak of 50% U.S. supply in 2011. Why? One answer is renewables and batteries are cheaper. Another answer is air pollution. As documented by Bloomberg and Pope, in their book Climate Of Hope, 'Particulate matter from burning coal contributes to strokes, heart disease, lung disease, and cancer. If we could eliminate all the coal-fired power plants in China and India alone, we would save half a million lives every year.' The book attributes 7 million deaths globally from air pollution. Note: these are 2017 numbers. The book distinguishes air pollution from carbon pollution (climate change), which is also discussed in the book under the headings of Rising Seas, Severe Heat, Ocean Life, and Political Instability. Coal burns dirty and is the worst source of carbon polluting greenhouse gases. Fossil energies provide about 83% of the world's energy, but cause around 73% of greenhouse emissions. So, extending the life of a coal-fired power plant does not seem to be the best solution to an electrical crisis if or when it happens. Here is a recent summary of several alternatives that were laid out with arguments pro and con. Natural gas power plants provide 43% of grid electricity in the U.S., so gas plants would be using technology that the country already relies upon. Although Rystad Energy argue that global power demand will increase strongly this year and in years ahead, they predict fossil fuels will peak shortly in the power sector. Nuclear power is in the news since President Trump unleashed on May 23 executive orders on accelerating nuclear technologies. First, the cost of new nuclear reactors, whether traditional reactors or SMRs, is substantially higher than renewable energies. Second is the ubiquitous threat of exposure to nuclear radiation, either from nuclear accidents or from underground storage of nuclear waste. Third is that modern forms of nuclear energy, including SMRs, are at the commercial starting gate, illustrated by one of the first domestic contracts that was canceled by a Utah community when the SMR price grew 50% more than agreed to. Renewables. As well as commercial success in Australia, 90% of new energy in the U.S. in 2024 was provided by wind and solar renewables. Globally, renewables are rising and catching up to fossil sources in their percentages of electric power. There are three clear advantages of renewables. One is commercial success of current operations in the U.S. and Australia. Two is cheaper cost, particularly PV solar and storage batteries. Three, renewables tied to grid-scale batteries provide dispatchable power. The big battery at Hornsdale Power Reserve. The big battery at Hornsdale Power Reserve. Source: David Box. As energy secretary Chris Wright commented on Trump's executive order unleashing nuclear electricity, 'Nuclear has the potential to be America's greatest source of energy addition. It works whether the wind is blowing, or the sun is shining, is possible anywhere and at different scales.' The latter sentence is a negative reference to non-dispatchable renewable energies. But this is false: when a battery energy storage system (BESS) is connected to wind or solar, it makes the energy dispatchable. For example, in the state of South Australia renewables plus BESS have been providing 72% of grid electricity continuously for three years, and this is expected to rise to 100% by 2027. Renewables plus batteries have proven the stability of renewables commercially. Rystad Energy has reported that global battery systems set a record 200 gigawatt-hours (GWh) last year, implying a growth rate of 80%. Beginning at 0.5 terawatts (TW) in 2024, total BESS capacity will rise by almost ten times to over 4 TW by 2040. BESS, first built in 2017 by Elon Musk as the Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia, are expanding rapidly in the U.S. Intermittent power is no longer a reason to dismiss renewables, because BESS have solved this problem and solar and wind renewables with BESS are dispatchable. The answer to an electricity crisis in the U.S., which may be coming with the AI revolution, is renewables—especially PV solar plus battery storage, because they are cheaper and faster to install. Growth in U.S. renewables, strong in 2024, will continue to provide dispatchable power for new data centers, industry decarbonization, and also electric vehicles.
