MPSC seeks comments on draft amendments to renewable energy plan filing requirements

News media contact:Matt Helms 517-284-8300

Customer Assistance: 800-292-9555

The MPSC today announced that it's seeking comment on draft amended renewable energy plan filing requirements as the agency works through implementation of Michigan's 2023 energy law updates (Case No. U-21568).

Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. May 10 on implementation of the provisions of sections 22 through 49 of Public Act 235 of 2023, which established a new clean energy standard and updated Michigan's renewable energy standard.

Written comments should be mailed to Executive Secretary, Michigan Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 30221, Lansing, Michigan 48909. Electronic comments may be filed through MPSC's E-Dockets website or e-mailed to [email protected]. All comments should be paginated and reference Case No. U-21568.

The MPSC in February opened proceedings on a number of changes that the Michigan Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made in 2023 to the state's energy laws. The changes include increasing renewable portfolio standards for utilities, raising energy waste reduction targets, and granting siting authority to the MPSC for certain utility-scale clean energy projects.

The Commission's February actions included addressing Public Act 235, which, among other things, increases electric utilities' renewable energy portfolio standards to 50% in 2030 and 60% by 2035. The Commission set dates for all Michigan electricity providers to file amended renewable energy plans in 2024 and 2025 and sought comment from interested persons and organizations on matters related to implementation of PA 235.

Today's order reviews comments received from Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council; Advanced Energy United; Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp.; Michigan Environmental Council; Natural Resources Defense Council; Ecology Center; Sierra Club; Consumers Energy Co.; Alpena Power Co.; DTE Electric Co.; Indiana Michigan Power; Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association; Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative; Virtus Solis Technologies Inc.; the Coalition for Community Solar Access; Michigan Municipal Electric Association; L'Anse Warden Electric Co.; Michigan Biomass; Cloverland Electric Cooperative, and Dillon Power. Today's order also provided initial Commission determinations related to its implementation of the new renewable energy requirements in the law based on the comments received.

COMMISSION OKs DTE ELECTRIC'S VOLUNTARY GREEN PRICING PROGRAM

The MPSC today approved DTE Electric Co.'s application for approval of its voluntary green pricing program through which the utility's customers can designate how much of the electricity they use is to be generated from renewable energy sources, with costs billed to participating customers (Case No U-21172). The Commission's approval, however, did not include the matter of DTE Electric's proposed customer-requested offerings, which the Commission referred back to an administrative law judge for a contested settlement hearing. Within 60 days, DTE Electric must conduct a public outreach session on the purchase of renewable energy credits from distributed generation customers and include a new proposal for the purchase of renewable energy credits from distributed generation customers that comports with Public Act 235 of 2023 in its next voluntary green pricing program case, Case No. U-21375.

COMMISSION OKS AMENDED CONSUMERS ENERGY SOLAR POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT

The MPSC approved an amended power purchase agreement between Consumers Energy Co. and Heartwood Solar in Hillsdale County, part of the utility's work to procure 6,000 megawatts of new solar resources by 2024, as laid out in its integrated resource plan (Case No. U-20165). The amendment reflects Heartwood Solar's inability to meet its original commercial operation date owing to transmission interconnection delays. The anticipated new operation date is March 31, 2026, with the PPA running through March 2051. The amended PPA is expected to result in lower costs for customers than the PPA initially approved by the Commission in October 2022.

MPSC APPROVES DTE ELECTRIC TREE-TRIMMING ACCOUNTING REQUEST

The Commission approved a one-time request from DTE Electric Co. to use more than $600,000 in unspent tree trimming funds budgeted in 2021 as a credit toward current tree trimming expenses (Case No. U-21128). The money otherwise would have been refunded to customers as a 30-cent bill credit, which the utility said was less cost-effective than crediting it against current deferred tree-trimming costs.

OPEN FIBER MICHIGAN LLC RECEIVES TELECOMMUNICATIONS LICENSE

The Commission granted a license to provide basic local exchange telephone service to Open Fiber Michigan LLC Case No. U-21475, finding that the license will help promote competition for services in Michigan. Open Fiber Michigan had been granted a temporary license in January.

MPSC APPROVES REVISED RATE CASE FILING REQUIREMENTS

The MPSC approved revised rate case filing requirements amended to address matters including concerns about the language of standard rate case protective orders and conventions for labeling testimony, exhibits and discovery Case No. U-18238. Among other actions, today's order gives regulated utilities until May 9, 2024, to file objections to an updated standard rate case protective order and gives MPSC Staff a 60-day window to work with objecting utilities to develop a final protective order to be filed by July 9, 2024.

For information about the MPSC, visit www.michigan.gov/mpsc, sign up for its monthly newsletter or other listservs. Follow the MPSC on Facebook, X/Twitter or LinkedIn.

To look up cases from today's meeting, access the MPSC's E-Dockets filing system.

Watch recordings of the MPSC's meetings on the MPSC's YouTube channel.

DISCLAIMER: This document was prepared to aid the public's understanding of certain matters before the Commission and is not intended to modify, supplement, or be a substitute for the Commission's orders. The Commission's orders are the official action of the Commission.

# # #

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.