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The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has approved DTE Electric’s application for approval of its workplan for expedited review of pilot programs for promoting innovation in energy delivery (Case No. U-21653).
The Commission’s approval will allow DTE Electric to file applications for individual pilot programs the company is considering in five focus areas: grid reliability and resiliency; distributed energy resource (DER) integration; decarbonization; beneficial electrification; and equity, access and affordability. The workplan also includes a mechanism for third-party organizations to submit pilot proposals and incorporates changes and feedback provided by interested parties.
Expedited review will help DTE Electric, and other utilities, find topics for pilots with support from interested persons and the utilities, reducing the amount of time required for Commission review.
The Commission’s order has found that the workplan not only details the engagement process for interested organizations and members of the public but also includes reasonable metrics for measuring the impact of pilots. The Commission noted that the workplan provides a roadmap for future pilots focused on work leading to innovative programs and solutions.
The Commission approved Consumers Energy’s application for approval of the reconciliation of its power supply cost recovery (PSCR) expenses and revenues for the 2022 calendar year (Case No. U-21049), as modified. The Commission approved a PSCR underrecovery balance of $415,514,140, including interest, as the utility’s 2023 PSCR reconciliation beginning balance.
The Michigan Department of Attorney General; Residential Customer Group; Association of Businesses Advocating Tariff Equity; and biomass merchant plants Cadillac Renewable Energy, Genesee Power Station, Grayling Generating Station, Hillman Power Co., TES Filer City Station, National Energy of Lincoln, and National Energy of McBain intervened in the case. MPSC Staff also participated. The order also approved requests from the biomass merchant plants for $16,369,443 in capped costs and $10,249,098 in uncapped costs.
The MPSC partially granted and partially denied petitions for rehearing filed by intervenors in DTE Electric’s recent rate case in which the Commission authorized the utility to increase revenues by $217.38 million (Case No. U-21534) and denied a petition for rehearing filed by the utility. Petitions for rehearing were filed by DTE Electric, Michigan Municipal Association for Utility Issues, Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council, Institute for Energy Innovation, and Advanced Energy United.
