Michigan commission recommends steps to lower energy costs

The Michigan Public Service Commission has released recommendations for the Michigan legislature to lower energy costs and improve affordability.

• The commission said the recommendations respond to a June letter from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and include multi-year rate cases, stronger utility performance incentives, and rules requiring data centers to pay 100% of the costs they impose on the system.
• The list also covers grid planning, competitive procurement, low-income assistance, weatherization, and customer cost signals; the release cites Michigan’s average monthly electric bill in 2024 at $119.31 versus the national average of $142.16 and notes residential bills were 4.9% below inflation from 2020 to 2026.