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Consumers Energy donating more money to help Michigan residents struggling to pay heating bills

Consumers Energy is once again donating money to help Michigan residents stay warm this winter as they are using more natural gas to heat their homes. The Jackson-based utility announced Thursday, Feb. 27, it is donating $3 million in grants to three statewide nonprofits: TrueNorth Community Services, The Salvation Army and The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW). These nonprofits will give out $2 million to help income-qualified customers stay up to date on their energy bills. The other $1 million will be used to expand THAW’s initiatives, including a pilot program that helps low-income residents reduce their energy usage and better manage those expenses. Read Full Article on MLive:...

New report showing $37 billion in energy savings through choice system

State Rep. Mike Shirkey is touting a new electric deregulation report to further support competition in Michigan’s electric market, but the Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition is warning that deregulation is “dangerous.” The report, issued by several Illinois business groups, projects that Illinois electric customers are spending $37 billion less on electricity after the state got rid of its “monopoly-style” electric system and brought in competition and customer choice. Shirkey emphasized that these are just projected figures but said there should be no doubt of the significant savings. Michigan should learn from Illinois’ successes and mistakes and not be afraid to challenge the current system, he said. “It is a complex process to move from a model where (electric) generation is basically a monopoly to where it becomes competitive,” Shirkey said. “I think that (the report) should be a wake-up call to us that we should not be afraid to challenge our paradigm.” The Illinois report, titled “Electricity & Natural Gas Choice in Illinois – a Model for Effective Public Policy Solutions,” was issued by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Illinois Business Roundtable. Read full article on MLive:...