WattWatch/All Michigan utilities
Investor-owned utility
Consumers Energy Company
Consumers Energy rates rose 21% since 2019 — the average bill went from $102 to $120 a month.
Computed as revenue ÷ sales from Consumers Energy’s own EIA-861 filings, 2019–2024. Not adjusted for inflation. See where that ranks.
The Michigan Public Service Commission sets your rates
Rate changes go through a public docket. Filings, hearing dates, and comment deadlines are matters of public record, and you can file a comment on them.
Dates you could act on
- November 10, 2026U-22078 · prehearing conference
Prehearing conference by video/teleconference before ALJ Katherine E. Talbot; any interested person may participate.
What is still undecided
These cases are open before the Commission — some are Consumers Energy’s own requests, others the Commission opened on its own motion. Undecided is the only window in which a comment from you counts for anything, so these are the ones worth watching.
- U-22070notice PDFRequested$456M
Consumers Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to raise its electric rates to collect about $456 million more per year, plus $25 million tied to a distribution deferral, and to allow a return on common equity of at least 10.25%. The Commission has not decided the case; a prehearing is set for June 30, 2026 by video/teleconference. Customers can attend that hearing, file a written comment referencing Case No. U-22070, or petition to intervene as a party by June 23, 2026.
- U-21607notice PDFRequested$74.4M
Consumers Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to review and settle up its gas cost recovery charges for the year that ended March 31, 2026, using an adjusted base GCR factor of $3.2111 per thousand cubic feet and rolling in a net under-recovery of $74,366,250. A pre-hearing is set for August 5, 2026 at 9:00 AM by video/teleconference, and anyone interested may take part. Customers can also send a written comment referencing Case No. U-21607 by email or mail, or file a petition to intervene by July 29, 2026 to become a formal party.
- U-21593notice PDFRequested$41M
Consumers Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to review and settle up its 2025 power supply costs, including rolling forward an under-recovery of about $41 million with interest and setting 2028 surcharges tied to its Financial Compensation Mechanism, which had an over-recovery of about $5.06 million. A prehearing is set for May 5, 2026 at 9:30 AM by video/teleconference, and anyone wishing to become a party must file a petition to intervene by April 28, 2026. Customers may also send written comments referencing Case No. U-21593 to the Commission by email or mail, or attend the hearing to make a statement.
The only document in this docket is a notice of hearing telling customers that Consumers Energy asked the Commission to approve its power supply cost recovery plan and monthly fuel-cost factor for the 12 months ending December 31, 2023, and explaining how people could take part in the case. It does not itself approve or deny any rate. The other documents provided are orders in the separate reconciliation case (U-21258), which reviewed Consumers Energy's actual 2023 power costs, disallowed certain replacement power costs, and later denied the company's request for a rehearing. No residential bill amounts or percentage changes are stated in these documents.
This case concerns Consumers Energy's request for accounting and ratemaking approval of depreciation practices for its electric and common utility plant, not retail rates themselves. In a November 7, 2024 order, the Commission granted the company's request for more time and directed it to file its next electric depreciation case by December 31, 2025. A notice of hearing then set a prehearing conference for February 12, 2026 on the company's December 30, 2025 application, which proposes depreciation accrual rates about 6.50% higher than currently approved, roughly $33.6 million based on year-end 2024 plant balances, and asks that they take effect with new electric rates set in a future electric rate case. No residential bill change was decided in these documents.
- U-22026notice PDF
Consumers Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to review and reconcile its 2025 renewable energy costs and revenues, and to set a Transfer Price of about $83.00 per MWh for renewable and advanced cleaner energy. A pre-hearing is set for October 7, 2026 by video/teleconference, and anyone who wants to be a formal party must petition to intervene by September 30, 2026. Customers can also send written comments referencing Case No. U-22026 to the Commission by email or mail, or speak at the hearing without becoming a party.
- U-21972notice PDF
Consumers Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to approve changes to its voluntary green energy programs, including its Renewable Energy Credit, Green Giving, Renewable Energy, and Solar Gardens programs, related tariffs, and a plan to buy renewable energy credits from distributed generation. A prehearing is set for October 30, 2025 at 9:00 AM by video/teleconference, and anyone interested may take part. Customers can also send a written comment referencing Case No. U-21972 to the Commission by email or mail, or file a petition to intervene by October 23, 2025.
- U-21985notice PDF
Consumers Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to approve selling its 13 river hydroelectric plants to Confluence Hydro, LLC, together with a power purchase agreement to buy power back from those plants and related accounting treatment. A prehearing is set for November 24, 2025 at 10:00 AM by video/teleconference, and anyone may attend or speak; petitions to intervene are due November 19, 2025. Customers may also send written comments at any time referencing Case No. U-21985 by email to mpscedockets@michigan.gov or by mail to the Commission's Executive Secretary.
- U-22010notice PDF
Consumers Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to review and settle up its 2025 Energy Waste Reduction program against the surcharges customers already paid, including incentive payments for its gas and electric programs and its proposed surcharge mechanism. A pre-hearing is set for July 8, 2026, held by video or teleconference. Customers can send written comments referencing Case No. U-22010 by email or mail at any time, attend the hearing to state a position, or file a petition to intervene by July 1, 2026.
- U-22062notice PDF
A Consumers Energy customer, Michael Fong, has filed a complaint with the Michigan Public Service Commission saying his bills were wrong and that his electricity was shut off improperly in February 2026. He is asking the Commission to halt disconnection and collection activity, require the company to turn over records, recalculate his account, cancel certain fees, and change some company practices. A pre-hearing is set for April 30, 2026 by video/teleconference, and any interested person may participate.
- U-22126notice PDF
Consumers Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to review and settle the accounts for one year of its electric distribution Investment Recovery Mechanism, covering March 1, 2025 through February 28, 2026, saying it spent $133,657,000 and that no refund to customers is required. A pre-hearing is set for July 7, 2026 at 9:00 AM by video/teleconference. Customers can attend that hearing, make a statement of position, or send a written comment referencing Case No. U-22126 to the Commission; those wanting full party status had to file a petition to intervene by June 30, 2026.
- U-22127notice PDF
Consumers Energy has filed a long-term electric resource plan and is asking the Michigan Public Service Commission to approve it, including Certificates of Necessity for the Karn and Thetford projects and for power purchase agreements, along with related accounting and cost-recovery treatment. A prehearing is set for October 1, 2026 by video/teleconference, and customers may attend, speak by filing an appearance, or send a written comment referencing Case No. U-22127. Free copies of the application are available from the company or on the Commission's website.
- U-22078notice PDF
Consumers Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to approve its plan for recovering the cost of the power it buys and generates during 2027, including a maximum monthly power supply cost recovery factor of at least $0.02055 per kWh (or $0.01926 per kWh under an alternative scenario) plus possible contingent additions. The Commission has not decided the case; a prehearing conference is set for November 10, 2026 by video or teleconference. Customers can attend that hearing to make a statement, send a written comment referencing Case No. U-22078, or file a petition to intervene by November 3, 2026.
What changed your bill
- Requested$240MApproved$139.2MROE9.8%
Consumers Energy asked to raise its natural gas distribution rates by about $240 million a year (later revised to $231.476 million). The Commission approved an increase of $139,176,000 per year, using a 9.80% return on equity and a test year ending October 31, 2027. For residential gas customers, the fixed monthly customer charge rises from $17 to $19, instead of the $20 the company requested, with the rest of the increase collected through usage-based charges. The new rates apply to service provided on and after November 1, 2026.
- Requested$116.2MApproved$116.2M
The Commission approved Consumers Energy's yearly recalculation of the surcharge that pays off the bonds issued to cover the early retirement of the D.E. Karn Units 1 and 2. For October 2026 through September 2027, the total amount to be collected from customers is $116,212,716, and residential customers on Rates RSP, RSH, RPM, and RSM will pay $0.004237 per kilowatt-hour, up from $0.004049 per kilowatt-hour. The charge appears as a separate line on bills starting with the October 2026 billing month. A household using 500 kWh a month would see this line item change by about 9 cents, based on the per-kilowatt-hour rates listed in the order.
Everything else on the docket (10)
Procedural orders, reconciliations, and cases where no approved figure could be sourced. Kept for completeness — none of these carries a number we can tie to your bill.
The Commission approved Consumers Energy's power supply cost recovery plan for the 12 months ending December 31, 2024, including a power supply cost recovery factor of $0.00877 per kilowatt-hour. This factor is the per-kilowatt-hour charge customers pay for the fuel and purchased power portion of their electric bills during 2024. The Commission also approved the company's proposed contingency mechanism, which allows the factor to rise during the year in set steps if forward natural gas prices increase, up to $4.00 per MMBtu above forecast. The order does not state a total revenue amount or a typical residential bill impact.
The Commission approved a power purchase agreement between Consumers Energy and Zeeland Farm Services for the 0.8-megawatt output of the Zeeland Co-Generation Station, running from May 1, 2026 to May 1, 2031. Payments under the agreement use Consumers' already-approved energy-only avoided cost rates, and the company estimates the total cost at about $596,149. The Commission stated that approval will not affect rates or rate schedules and will not increase the cost of service, so residential bills are not changed by this order.
This docket covers Consumers Energy's integrated resource plan, which the Commission approved by settlement in 2022, plus a series of follow-up orders. In these later orders the Commission approved individual power purchase agreements for solar and battery storage projects and approved updates to the company's avoided cost rates, standard offer contract and tariff, and the bundled outflow rate for its Simple Renewable Program. The Commission stated that these approvals do not grant permission to increase any rates or charges and will not increase the cost of service to customers. No residential rate change or revenue requirement was set in these orders.
The Commission approved a settlement agreement in Consumers Energy's gas cost recovery case for the 12 months ending March 31, 2027. The settlement approves the company's filed gas cost recovery plan with a base gas cost recovery factor of $3.9420 per Mcf, plus a contingency mechanism that can adjust the factor if gas market conditions change. This factor is the per-unit charge residential gas customers pay for the natural gas itself; the final amounts will be reviewed later in a reconciliation case. The five-year gas supply forecast in the filing was also accepted.
In this docket the Commission approved a series of power purchase agreements between Consumers Energy and small solar projects (Manitou Farms and several Pivot Energy facilities) under federal PURPA rules. The Commission reviewed each application without a contested hearing, finding that the agreements use previously approved avoided-cost prices. These orders do not set or change retail electric rates, so there is no direct change to a residential customer's monthly bill from these decisions.
A customer filed a complaint against Consumers Energy Company, saying the utility misapplied her payments, causing billing errors and a winter shut-off of her electric service. The customer did not attend two scheduled evidentiary hearings, and the administrative law judge dismissed the case. The Commission dismissed the complaint with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. This order does not change rates or bills for residential customers.
The Commission approved a fourth amendment to Consumers Energy's long-standing power purchase agreement with T.E.S. Filer City Station, which changes how energy and capacity payments are calculated and sets a contract end date of May 31, 2027. The record indicates the amendment is projected to reduce costs to customers by about $19.1 million compared with the prior version of the contract. The Commission did not pre-approve the costs; they will be reviewed in future power supply cost recovery and rate proceedings, though they cannot be disallowed on the grounds that the contract itself was unreasonable. This order does not set retail rates, so it does not by itself change a residential bill amount.
The Commission approved a settlement in Consumers Energy's power supply cost recovery plan for calendar year 2026. The company may charge a uniform maximum monthly power supply cost recovery factor of $0.01456 per kilowatt-hour to all customer classes, plus possible additional amounts if natural gas futures prices rise above the level assumed in the plan. The factor includes recovery of a projected $32,415,033 under-recovery of power supply costs from 2025. The settlement also changed how the company calculates the gas-price contingency, using the first five trading days of the month immediately before the month the factor applies.
The Commission allowed Consumers Energy to record the operations and maintenance costs from the March 2026 storms as a regulatory asset, an accounting step that sets the costs aside for possible recovery later. The company estimated about $57 million in storm-related expense. This order does not change any customer's rates or bills, and the Commission said it will decide later, in a future rate case, whether the costs can be collected from customers. Consumers must submit detailed storm data and analysis in its next general electric rate case.
The Commission approved Consumers Energy's request to change its electric service connection fees from flat charges to per-foot charges: residential connections move from a fixed $1,300 to $9.93 per foot, and general service connections move from a fixed $2,200 to $16.88 per foot. These fees apply only when a new service connection must be installed, so they do not change the rates existing customers currently pay on their monthly bills. Consumers must file matching tariff sheets within 30 days, and these fees stay in place until the Commission decides service connection fees in Case No. U-22070.
Every figure is quoted from the order it came from — hover a number to see the exact sentence and page. Figures without a quote in the source are not shown at all. Extracted figures are machine-read and not yet checked by a person.
Large loads in this territory
5 live data center projects name Consumers Energy as their serving utility
Together they have disclosed 320 MW of demand.
- Switch Pyramid campusGaines Township · 320 MWOperating
- Microsoft Gaines Township siteGaines TownshipApplication submitted
- Microsoft Lowell Township siteLowell TownshipApplication submitted
- Alterra Marshall siteMarshallPre-application
- Buick City siteFlintPaused or under moratorium
The full Michigan tracker, with what regulators have approved →
Large load watch
Who pays for the data centers
A single hyperscale data center can ask for more power than a small city. The question in front of the Commission is not whether they get it — it is what they have to commit to in order to get it, and who absorbs the cost of the poles, wires, and generation built for them if the project shrinks or never arrives.
In U-22061, DTE Electric asked to rewrite its Rate D11 and add a provision for customers taking more than 100 MW: a minimum monthly bill regardless of how much power is actually used, administrative fees, a fee for walking away, and collateral up front. Those terms are the difference between a data center carrying its own risk and residential customers carrying it. Consumers Energy has not filed a large-load provision of its own. What the Commission approves here is the template the rest of Michigan’s regulated utilities will be measured against.
DTE Electric has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission to change its Rate D11 and add a new provision for very large electricity users, such as customers needing more than 100 MW, including a minimum monthly billing amount, administrative fees, a termination fee, and collateral requirements. The Commission has not decided the case; a prehearing is set for April 28, 2026 by video/teleconference. Customers can attend that hearing, file a written comment referencing Case No. U-22061, or file a petition to intervene by April 21, 2026.
The scheduled dates in this case have passed — the last was May 5, 2026. The case remains open, and an order can issue at any time. This is the one worth having emailed to you.