Tell us what you think about UPPCO’s vision for its long-term energy future
By Sally Talberg
Chairman, Michigan Public Service Commission
In 2016, the Michigan Legislature passed, and the Governor signed into law, comprehensive legislation that fundamentally changed the way utilities and state regulators plan for the energy future of Michigan’s 10 million residents.
Among those Legislative changes were orders for the Michigan Public Service Commission to evaluate whether all electric providers have enough resources to serve their customers, to approve green pricing programs that allow customers to buy electricity generated from renewable energy sources, and to study how programs that cut energy waste in homes or businesses could be expanded to help meet our state’s electric needs.
But the most far-reaching aspect of the new laws was a requirement that rate-regulated electric utilities submit what’s called an integrated resource plan for the MPSC’s review. UPPCO is one of five investor-owned utilities that have filed their plans with the Commission with two more companies expected to file theirs later this summer.
Simply put, the Upper Peninsula Power Co.’s IRP proposal details how it will provide electric service to its U.P. customers five-, 10-, 15, and 20 years out. UPPCO filed its plan with the Commission on Feb. 12 and we have 300 days to review it.
The role of MPSC Staff in this process is to listen to residents and businesses that are affected by UPPCO’s plan as part of a formal proceeding. Staff will then provide recommendations to the Commission on whether the plan is reasonable and prudent for the customers and residents impacted by these decisions. The process is open and transparent, and we value input from stakeholders, especially the residential customers who get their electric service from UPPCO.
That’s why we’ve scheduled a public information forum for Friday, May 17, at Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba. The session is scheduled from 4–7 p.m. so UPPCO customers can provide us with their thoughts about the utility’s long-term outlook.
Some of the highlights from UPPCO’s plan:
— Increased investments in energy waste reduction.
— Proposed construction of 125 megawatt utility scale solar array.
— Proposed construction of a 20 megawatt reciprocating internal combustion engine natural gas-fired electric plant in the eastern U.P.
— Additional investments to increase the efficiency of hydroelectric generation.
— Required use of competitive bidding for new electric generation projects.
An IRP is an ambitious plan, so it’s valuable for the MPSC to hear the public’s interests for near- and long-term energy forecasts when the Commission is considering utility investments for today and the future. IRPs are an important planning tool to help ensure cost-effective electric service in the Upper Peninsula, where, as many know, there are unique constraints.
I’ll be at Bay College along with Commissioners Norman Saari and Daniel Scripps and Commission staff members who will give a presentation about IRPs and UPPCO’s proposal. We want to hear from you, the customer, about a plan that will have an impact for years to come.
