During 2009, competition in Michigan’s electric market showed an overall increase. The electric choice program in the Consumers Energy Company service territory experienced an annual increase of approximately 139 percent in electric megawatt (MW) load and an increase of over 66 percent in the number of choice customers. Similarly, the electric choice program in The Detroit Edison Company service territory experienced a 75 percent annual MW load increase and an increase of more than 41 percent in the number of choice customers.

To date, Michigan remains one of about 20 states that has full or limited restructuring of the competitive electric market and Michigan has maintained its reasonable rates. In comparison to the 10 largest states, Michigan was benchmarked as having the fourth lowest average retail electricity rates for residential customers, the third lowest for commercial customers, and the fifth lowest for industrial customers.

In 2009, the Commission issued numerous orders to further establish the framework for Michigan’s electric customer choice programs and support the provisions of Public Act 141 of 2000 and Public Acts 286 and 295 of 2008.

Highlights of the report include:

• Approximately 5,424 commercial and industrial customers in the Detroit Edison and Consumers Energy service territories participated in Michigan’s customer choice programs, representing 1,558 MW of total sales.
  
• Description of the orders issued pertaining to alternative electric suppliers, implementation of new energy laws, associated rate cases, power supply cost recoveries, securitization and optimization surcharges, etc.
  
• There were a total of 24 licensed alternative electric suppliers in Michigan during 2009.
  
• Procedures were adopted dealing with the administration and allocation of electric load allowed to be served by alternative electric suppliers with respect to the 10 percent cap on electric choice pursuant to Public Act 286 of 2008.
  

The Customer Choice Program activity is incorporated in the specific utility charts updated monthly for Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison. The charts shows cumulative number of customers, MW, enrolled and in-service on an eighteen month rolling forward basis. The most current monthly information is listed in the last column of each chart.

Sheila Cornfield
Financial Analysis & Customer Choice Section
Regulated Energy Division (517) 335-1600
Michigan Public Service Commission
cornfields@michigan.gov
(517) 335-5539

OR

Audrey Weber
Financial Analysis & Customer Choice Section
Regulated Energy Division (517) 335-1600
Michigan Public Service Commission
webera4@michigan.gov
(517) 241-0967

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