Michigan Committee Chair Introduces Legislation To End Electric Customer Choice

Michigan State Rep. Aric Nesbitt, Chair of the House Energy Policy Committee, has introduced a bill (HB 4298) to end electricity choice.

The bill provides that, "alternative electric suppliers shall not provide retail customers with electric generation service or enter into agreements to provide retail customers with electric generation service"

Customers currently on competitive supply would be required to return to utility bundled service at the end of their primary contract term.

Energy Choice Now said that the legislation would, "cause electric rates to skyrocket for job providers, schools, and residents."

"The new legislation would grant a full monopoly to DTE and Consumers Energy, potentially forcing thousands of Michigan job makers, schools, and residents to leave their current, lower cost energy suppliers and requiring them to purchase electricity from the monopoly utilities at higher rates," Energy Choice Now

Energy Choice Now said that since 2008 legislation which generally capped electric choice at 10% of a utility's load, Michigan electric rates have increased by 30 percent -- 1,000 percent more than the national average.