Consumers Energy proposes another rate increase, AG Nessel is trying to stop it

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Consumers Energy customers are beyond frustrated after the company requested an electric rate increase of 8.8%. Attorney General Dana Nessel is trying to stop it from going through. She says 8.8% is too much for customers to handle right now.

Consumers Energy customer Dan Meredith says he’ll struggle to pay his monthly bill if the proposition is approved.

“There are people still struggling and now consumers still wants to tighten the screws even more on these people, its not right,” said Consumers customer Dan Meredith.

The Attorney General’s Office says Consumers is already raking in more than $30M in “excess revenue” once you factor in the summer rate hike. They say another increase will be too much.

“Especially during this time after a whole pandemic, a lot of people were unable to pay and adding another increase on top of what would already be a difficult budget,” said Assistant Attorney General Mike Moody.

Consumers tells News 10 it needs to raise rates again to strengthen the electric grid, invest in infrastructure to improve reliability for customers, and to help fund the state’s clean energy transformation. However, customers are not buying it.

“Its not workable to have another rate increase, I just don’t understand why they need to do that again if they just increeased our rates for the summer,” said Consumers Energy customer Connie Kapugia. “I live on a fixed income and my pension does not increase but once a year and lately it does not keep up with rate of inflation.”

The Attorney General’s Office believes the Public Service Commission will reject the increase, and Nessel is asking that it be reduced to 4.8% for residential customers.

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