Customer Choice Coalition applauds House and Senate bills
expanding electric competition
Only competition can curb huge rate hikes hurting Michigan families, businesses, governments

LANSING , Mich. – Sen. Wayne D. Kuipers, R-Holland, and Rep. Roy Schmidt, D-Grand Rapids, introduced legislation this week that would open Michigan's electric system to increased competition, reducing the monopoly power utilities have been using to dramatically raise rates since passage of the state's electric remonopolization act in 2008.

“Electric rates have skyrocketed since Michigan eliminated competition in 2008, are the highest in the Midwest and, for the first time in years, are even higher than the national average,” said Barry Cargill, executive director of the Customer Choice Coalition. “The bipartisan sponsorship of these bills will begin reintroducing competition into the electric system, and help hold down rates that are crippling Michigan.”

(Read the full release)
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Customer Choice Coalition seeks support for Senate Bill 1317 and House Bill 6127
The Customer Choice Coalition delivered a letter to all lawmakers July 22, 2010 urging support for Senate Bill 1317 and House Bill 6127. The bills offer customers the opportunity to save on energy costs by raising the cap on competition to 25 percent, allowing more customers to choose their electric suppliers and lower their electric bills.

Read the letter

Customer Choice Coalition Mission Statement
The Customer Choice Coalition is a group of associations, businesses and other organizations supporting the ability of customers to choose from many electric providers when purchasing power. Its members include manufacturers and small businesses, building managers and schools, churches and others who support our current electric restructuring system.

Recent News

A Rate Increase For Consumers Energy Customers?
(MIRS, July 13, 2010)
If Consumers Energy chooses to implement a $150 million rate increase on July 22 as allowed by Michigan law, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today said the utility will have to apply a specific rate design.

Such a rate increase would amount to $3.76 more in the monthly bill of an average residential customer.

David Waymire of the Customer Choice Coalition said the 2008 Michigan energy law that limited electric choice has raised residential rates in Michigan by about 20 percent -- at a time when rates around the Midwest have been moderating or going down. (full article)

Consumers Directed on Rate Increase
(Gongwer News Service, July 13, 2010)
The Public Service Commission on Tuesday said that if Consumers Energy decides to raise
residential electric rates it has to apply a specific rate design that would set the increase at an
average $3.76 a month at households.

A spokesperson for the Customers Choice Coalition called the decision another reason why the
state needs to change the 2008 utility law that sets a cap on the number of customers that can go to
other utilities. (full article)

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