Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed comments with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) in response to an audit of Consumers Energy Company and DTE Electric Company's electric distribution systems. This audit was initiated following severe power outages in 2022, prompting the MPSC to investigate actions necessary to reduce outages and improve safety.

The audit identified tree contact with power lines as the primary cause of outages for both utilities. Despite increased capital spending over recent years, neither company has shown significant improvements in reliability. Both companies plan further capital investments in their five-year forecasts, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

Attorney General Nessel criticized the focus on capital spending, which yields a nearly 10 percent return for shareholders, over operational measures like tree trimming. She expressed concerns about the lack of accountability to customers, as both utilities can recover costs from ratepayers without penalties for not meeting performance promises.

Nessel also noted that the audit did not address the root causes of past reliability failures, complicating future prevention efforts. "I share the frustration felt by ratepayers and the Commission regarding the persistent, unacceptable power outages that plague both Consumers Energy and DTE customers," she stated. "While I commend the Commission for conducting this audit, it is merely a first step."

The MPSC will continue its investigation after reviewing responses from utilities and other interested parties.