The Brief Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging a state regulatory board to slash a proposed Consumers Energy rate hike request. Nessel was the Michigan Public Service Commission to approve less than half of the 9.8 percent rate increase.



Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed testimony asking a state regulatory board to reduce a Consumers Energy rate hike.

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Consumers Energy is seeking to raise residential electric rates by 9.8 percent, amounting to $456 million annually.

Nessel last week filed testimony for the Michigan Public Service Commission, the three-person board appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The Michigan AG argued that the MPSC should approve less than half of Consumers Energy's desired rake hike.

The Michigan Public Service Commission is comprised of Daniel Scripps, Katherin Peretick and Shaquila Myers and whose duties include approving, modifying or denying energy and gas rate increases.

Nessel claims Consumers Energy is seeking to increase its profit margin on capital investments to 10.25 percent, which would make it the highest return on equity in the state and likely one of the highest in the nation.

 The Attorney General filed testimony with the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan arguing the MPSC should limit Consumers Energy's return on equity to just 9.20%, cut their requested rate hike by 53%, and consider affordability when reviewing this rate hike due to the increasing level of residential disconnections with the already existing high electric rates,  said her office in a release.

Nessel also filed testimony with the Michigan Environmental Council, the Sierra Club, and the Natural Resources Defense Council on a number of other important issues for customers.

 Just like DTE, Consumers Energy inflates every rate request with unsupported and unjustifiable costs, to bill their customers at higher and higher gas and electric rates,  Nessel said in a release.  It is likely the MPSC will simply split the difference between the well-reasoned numbers my office proposes and the obscene demand from the utility, as they've done many times.

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