Dive Brief:

• Consumers Energy just got approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission to eliminate its $0.52 bill charge for renewable energy, created to boost the utility’s ability to meet Michigan’s 10% renewables by 2015 mandate.
• The shift in the bill structure was prompted, according to a statement from Michigan PSC Chair John D. Quackenbush, by the “the falling cost of wind-generated energy…"
• Consumers Energy brought the 100 megawatt Lake Winds Energy Park wind project on line in 2012 and the 105 megawatt Cross Winds Energy Park wind project is expected to come online later this year.

Dive Insight:

Knowledgeable observers suggested to this reporter that Consumers may once again ask the PSC for a renewables surcharge if Michigan legislators move ahead with a more demanding renewables mandate for beyond 2015. Consumers has already reduced the renewables surcharge twice, dropping it from $2.50 to $0.65 in September 2012, and from $0.65 to $0.52 in May 2013.

However, the Michigan PSC delayed approval of changes in the Consumers bill for the Experimental Advanced Renewable Program, which provides a higher than retail remuneration to residential and business customers for electricity sent to the grid by their solar systems, until its staff solar working group reports on their findings.