Home heating season is here, and the MPSC wants Michiganders to know about ways to best manage energy use and home energy bills.
The MPSC’s Be Winterwise webpage has lots of information about energy assistance programs and protections for utility customers including seniors, low-income households, military veterans and people with critical medical needs.
There are ways big and small to help get your home ready, including fixing drafty doors and windows, swapping in LED lights, installing smart thermostats and other steps. The U.S. Department of Energy’s fall and winter tips are a good place to start. For year-round ideas, check out the DOE’s Energy Saver guide.
If you’re struggling with home energy bills, financial assistance and other resources are available. Information about financial assistance and other resources is available at www.michigan.gov/mpsc/gethelp, the MPSC’s one-stop webpage with information and links to state and utility company programs that offer energy bill assistance to income-qualified households, including State Emergency Relief, the Michigan Energy Assistance Program, and the annual Home Heating Credit.
Anyone needing help may reach out to their utility or propane or heating oil provider or contact Michigan 211 by calling 211 or going to www.mi211.org. Michigan 211 is a free, confidential service that connects Michiganders with a broad range of assistance programs and services and other resources, including help with food, housing, transportation and home energy bills.
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Are you and your home properly equipped in case of a big winter storm? Severe weather can lead to power outages and other challenges.
Michigan State Police recommend having extra water, nonperishable foods, medications and a battery-powered radio at the ready, along with a flashlight, extra batteries and changes of clothes and footwear. Check out these and other tips from MIREADY.
Remember, if you see a downed power line, stay at least 20 feet away and contact your utility or call 911. (But don’t use 911 to report an outage — call your utility instead.) The MPSC’s power outage safety webpage has tips to help.
Remember, if you use a portable generator, make sure your run it outside at least 20 feet away from windows and doors to prevent exhaust fumes from entering your home and bringing the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Using portable heaters or other supplemental sources to keep warm also requires knowledge of safety practices. Use a fireplace or a portable heater? Our tip sheet has info to keep you safe.
The MPSC’s annual winter energy outlook is out, and it is predicting increased demand for electricity and natural gas along with lower prices for petroleum and propane.
The MSPC’s Winter Energy Appraisal for 2024-2025 predicts electric demand will rise 2% in Michigan, with increased residential and commercial sector demand outweighing a decline in demand in the industrial sector. According to the US Energy Information Administration, prices for electricity are expected to increase 0.7% in the east north central part of the country that includes Michigan.
Natural gas sales are expected to grow 3.8%, owing mainly to rising demand for gas to fuel electric generation outpacing flat demand in the residential sector and declines in use in the commercial and industrial sectors.
Other significant findings from the MPSC’s energy outlook include:
- Residential propane prices as of October 2024 averaged $2.17 per gallon, up 8 cents, or 3.8%, from the year before.
- 2 heating oil started the season at $3.10 per gallon, down 78 cents, or 20%, from last year.
- Midwest gasoline prices are expected to average $3.20 per gallon in 2024 and $3.06 in 2025. Demand for gasoline is expected to increase 0.3%, after declining 0.8% in 2023.
For more information, you can find the report online at the MPSC’s webpage.
Here are details about orders the Commission approved at its Nov. 21 Commission meeting:
- The Commission approved Consumers Energy Co.’s application for approval of a power purchase agreement for a 100-megawatt battery energy storage facility in Saline Township in Washtenaw County (Case No. U-21090). Energy storage, a critical part of Michigan’s clean energy transition, allowing energy from renewable sources to be stored for use during periods of high demand, when power is most expensive to produce. The total 20-year lifetime cost of the PPA with Voyager Energy Storage LLC is about $404 million with a fixed energy payment of $14.54 per megawatt hour, for the plant’s capacity, energy, renewable energy credits, and environmental attributes.
Tune in to our next regularly scheduled commission meeting on Dec. 19, 2024, at 1 p.m. The Commission’s first regular meeting of 2025 will be held Jan. 23.
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