Displaying items tagged: Michigan Public Service Commission
State energy regulator says Palisades denial ‘obviously disappointing,’ but other clean energy routes exist
COVERT TWP. — While the recent denial of funding to reopen the Palisades nuclear power plant handicaps Michigan’s short-term emission-reduction goals, the state’s top energy regulator says new federal laws will create additional clean energy opportunities.
State energy regulator sees no need for panic over electricity shortages
Katherine Peretick was appointed to the Michigan Public Service Commission in 2021 for a term that expires in 2027. In that time, Michigan and other states are transitioning through a crucial moment for the energy and utility industries as hulking, centralized fossil fuel plants are displaced by clean energy technologies to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
‘It’s complicated’: Advocates give Consumers Energy’s long-term plan mixed reviews
Environmental and ratepayer advocates are withholding their full-throated support for Consumers Energy’s new long-term energy plan that eliminates coal usage by 2025, citing concerns over potential rate effects and the scale of ongoing fossil fuel reliance.
Lawmakers reintroduce legislation to expand rooftop solar program
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers has again proposed legislation backed by clean energy advocates to expand utility programs for customers who generate their own solar power.
MiBiz Growth Report: January 3, 2021
Here is the MiBiz growth report for January 3, 2021.
Whitmer appoints engineering, energy storage expert to Michigan Public Service Commission
An electric grid engineering and energy storage expert will fill a new vacancy on the Michigan Public Service Commission.
Consumers Energy agrees to expand rooftop solar program
JACKSON — Consumers Energy has agreed to expand a solar energy program that advocates say is crucial to continue the sector’s growth in Michigan.
Whitmer shifts Line 5 dynamic ahead of legal dispute, tunnel uncertainty
In a move sought for years by environmental advocates, tribes, and hospitality and tourism businesses, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer this month notified Enbridge Inc. that it would no longer have the state’s permission to operate the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac.
Customers, installers on edge as key solar energy program nears cap
A key program that has incentivized small-scale solar projects in recent years is nearing its cap in two utility service territories.
DTE Energy plans major two-year solar energy buildout to meet corporate demand
DTE Energy plans to significantly expand its solar energy portfolio in the next two years to support growing corporate demand for renewable energy contracts.
Consumers Energy hosting forums on next phase of clean energy plan
Consumers Energy is hosting a series of virtual public forums over the next several months to gather public input on the next phase of its long-term clean energy plan.
Four electric vehicle fast-charging stations now operating under utility rebate program
Four electric vehicle fast-charging stations are now operating along major highway corridors in the Lower Peninsula as part of the state’s and major utilities’ efforts to build supportive infrastructure allowing for EV growth.
Scripps to lead MPSC ahead of shakeup
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is seeking a “smooth transition” in leadership at the Michigan Public Service Commission ahead of expected changes to the three-member energy oversight board.
DTE natural gas company pledges net zero emissions by 2050
DTE Energy’s natural gas subsidiary has pledged to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through a series of actions involving suppliers, customers and its own infrastructure, aligning with long-term goals for the utility’s electricity operations.
Utilities extend shut-off protections, bill assistance through June 12
Utilities regulated by the Michigan Public Service Commission will extend shutoff protections and flexible payment options for vulnerable customers through June 12, state officials announced today.
Renewable energy, transmission build-out needed in Lower Peninsula as plants close
Michigan needs a swift build-out of renewable energy and, in the longer term, more transmission projects to account for the energy shortfall that will grow as more coal and nuclear plants are retired.
COVID-19 wipes out clean energy job gains as regulators explore effect on utilities
The coronavirus has wiped out recent statewide clean energy job gains as Michigan companies take a patchwork approach to continuing work during the pandemic.
MPSC: Consumers Energy driving wave of solar development in Michigan
A wave of independently owned solar projects planned in Michigan is driven largely by contracts with Consumers Energy, which has long-term plans to significantly boost its solar portfolio.
Rural broadband access in focus as school, health care, work shift to homes
The widespread closure of schools, workplaces and in-person doctor visits has highlighted inequities in reliable internet access across Michigan, particularly among rural and low-income residents.
Utilities oppose bipartisan solar bills backed by installers, clean energy groups
Michigan’s two major investor-owned utilities remain opposed to a series of bills that supporters say are needed to grow the state’s nascent solar industry.
ENERGY: Environmental groups and utilities brace for energy-intensive cannabis operations
Michigan has had its share of blackouts and brownouts over the years. Could “greenouts” be on the horizon?
Consumers Energy settlement could lead to hundreds of megawatts of solar power
A proposed settlement between Consumers Energy and independent power producers could lead to hundreds of megawatts of solar power being built within the next four years.
Whitmer appoints clean energy backer to MPSC
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed former state representative and clean energy advocate Dan Scripps to the Michigan Public Service Commission on Feb. 8, filling a key vacancy as the administration brings a heightened focus to renewable energy and climate change.
Scripps appointed to Michigan Public Service Commission
Former Democratic legislator Dan Scripps has been appointed to the Michigan Public Service Commission, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced today.
State utility regulators seek to address backlog in solar development
The Michigan Public Service Commission has started what could be a two-year process to govern how renewable energy projects are connected to the electric grid. The plan to make new interconnection rules seeks to resolve an unprecedented backlog of requests from independent power producers to build solar projects at a time when utility customers increasingly are turning to solar for self-generation.
Lack of broadband access threatens rural manufacturers’ ability to compete
As Larry Lewis advanced in his career as an engineer in the manufacturing, construction and telecommunications industries, he relied on computers as an essential tool for his everyday work. His aptitude grew alongside the technology, to which he was first exposed at Dartmouth College in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Energy developers unclear of role as Consumers plans major shift toward solar
Consumers Energy plans a major shift to solar energy over the next two decades, but the extent to which the Jackson-based utility will rely on third-party developers eager to build projects in Michigan remains unclear.
Utility-backed program to replace net metering faces opposition
Solar industry advocates are dismayed by a recent Michigan Public Service Commission decision that phases out net metering after June 1.
Independent renewable energy producers to appeal regulatory decision on payments
A group of independent power producers are vowing to appeal a recent Michigan Public Service Commission ruling affecting how their facilities are compensated by Consumers Energy for the electricity they produce.
Life after Palisades: Despite extension to keep nuclear plant open until 2022, SW Mich. braces for economic impact
COVERT — Officials in Van Buren County felt a sense of relief last month when one of its largest employers and sources of tax revenue pledged to stay in the community for four more years.