A bill to amend 1939 PA 3, entitled “An act to provide for the regulation and control of public and certain private utilities and other services affected with a public interest within this state; to provide for alternative energy suppliers; to provide for licensing; to include municipally owned utilities and other providers of energy under certain provisions of this act; to create a public service commission and to prescribe and define its powers and duties; to abolish the Michigan public utilities commission and to confer the powers and duties vested by law on the public service commission; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state governmental officers and entities; to provide for the continuance, transfer, and completion of certain matters and proceedings; to abolish automatic adjustment clauses; to prohibit certain rate increases without notice and hearing; to qualify residential energy conservation programs permitted under state law for certain federal exemption; to create a fund; to encourage the utilization of resource recovery facilities; to prohibit certain acts and practices of providers of energy; to allow for the securitization of stranded costs; to reduce rates; to provide for appeals; to provide appropriations; to declare the effect and purpose of this act; to prescribe remedies and penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,” by amending section 6a (MCL 460.6a), as amended by 2016 PA 341.
Enhances the regulation of alternative energy suppliers and strengthen the oversight of the public service commission. Key provisions include prohibiting utilities from raising rates or altering rate schedules without commission approval, outlining the process for rate case applications with the inclusion of projected costs, and setting deadlines for commission decisions on rate relief for smaller gas utilities, including specific actions for non-compliance. It also mandates a 10-month limit for commission decisions on rate case applications, with extensions allowed, and imposes a 12-month interval between new rate case filings.
Co-sponsored by Sens.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Environment