LANSING, November 2.   For the fourth successive year, the Michigan
Public Service Commission has initiated an investigation requiring Consumers
Energy Company, The Detroit Edison Company and Indiana Michigan Power
Company to file plans assessing their near-term electrical generation and
transmission capacities, as well as those of their affiliates, on the adequacy of
supply and quality and reliability of service.    The Commission ordered  the
utilities to file their plans for the year 2001 by December 15, 2000.  Interested
persons may file comments in response to the assessments by January 16,
2001.  Comments should be sent to: Michigan Public Service Commission,
Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 30221, Lansing, MI 48909-7721.

Today's order expands the scope of previous inquiries in light of specific
concerns that have arisen since the companies filed their capacity assessments
for 2000 and the passage of  the Customer Choice and Electricity Reliability
Act, which recognizes the indispensable role that transmission capabilities
will play in the transition to retail open access.  To address potential
constraints in the current transmission system and the effects of those
constraints on alternative suppliers and open access customers, the
Commission ordered the utility companies to identify current transmission
capabilities available to serve bundled retail customers, retail open access
loads and non-affiliated alternative electric suppliers.   

Consumers Energy, headquartered in Jackson, provides electric service to
more than 1.6 million customers statewide.  Detroit Edison, headquartered in
Detroit, provides electric service to 2.1 million electric customers in
southeastern Michigan.  I&M, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, provides
electric service to about 118,000 Michigan customers in Berrien, Cass and
Van Buren counties.

The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Consumer and Industry
Services.

Case No. U-12702
November 2, 2000
(MPSC orders Consumers Energy, Detroit Edison and I&M to submit electric
capacity plans)