Consumers Energy Plans Second Gas Rate Hike Request

Michigan regulators approved a 4.3% natural-gas rate increase for Consumers Energy, allowing the utility to collect an additional $139.2 million annually—about 42% less than the $240 million it requested—and raising a typical residential customer’s bill by roughly $3.92 a month starting Nov. 1. Four days later, Consumers Energy notified regulators it intends to seek another increase, with a formal application expected by December and the amount not yet disclosed. Attorney General Dana Nessel said her office would intervene, criticizing utilities for filing rate cases in quick succession while customers pay the related costs. Consumers Energy said it files smaller requests more regularly to make bills more predictable and argued that its natural-gas rates have fallen in recent years; it says the requests support system safety and reliability.