Bills to rise for wind power; Consumers Energy surcharges OK'd
Consumers Energy customers will begin paying more on their bills to help pay for the utility’s efforts to reach the state-mandated requirement of generating 10% of its power from renewable energy sources.
Electricity customers will begin seeing a $2.50 monthly surcharge on their September bills to support Consumers’ Renewable Energy Plan, which calls for 900 megawatts of electricity coming from wind power by 2015. The utility plans to build between 250 and 500 wind turbines in Mason and Tuscola counties to generate 450 megawatts of power. The rest is to be purchased from contractors.
The cost to build the turbines will be $1.2 billion, said Consumers spokesman Jeff Holyfield. The utility is gathering meteorological data at 42,000 acres in the two counties to decide the best locations for the turbines.
In addition to the alternative energy surcharge, Consumers electricity customers will pay an extra 71 cents per month and natural gas customers will pay an added $1.72 a month beginning with June bills to support the company’s energy-optimization plan. The plan aims to increase energy efficiency for the utility and customers.
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved the added charges Tuesday. The renewable energy and energy-optimization plans for DTE Energy, which serves most electricity customers in southeast Michigan, are to be considered by the PSC Tuesday.
In the last two months, the PSC also has approved renewable energy plans submitted by the other nine investor-owned utilities and 10 co-op utilities across the state.
By Kathleen Gray
Free Press Staff Writer
27 May 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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