JACKSON, Mich. — Consumers Energy says it is moving forward with a plan to limit future power outages to no more than 24 hours. The utility company hopes state regulators will sign off on the steps it wants to take in 2026.
In 2023, Consumers Energy unveiled what it called the Reliability Roadmap, a promise to cut down on the frequency and length of outages for its electric customers. Among the goals outlined in the roadmap were:
- No more outages impacting more than 100,000 customers
- All outages restored within 24 hours
As part of the roadmap, Consumers Engery said it would aggressively trim trees near power lines, install new utility poles that can handle more severe weather, expand the number of underground power lines, and use smart technology to identify outages faster, reroute power on the grid, and dispatch crews to key points of damage.
The utility company said it has made strides in that direction, with the average customer experiencing a 28% decline in time spent in an outage since 2021. In 2025, Consumers Energy replaced more than 32,000 poles and inspected over 26,000 miles of lines. More than 8,000 miles of power lines saw preventative tree cutting to reduce the chance of a branch taking out the power.
Consumers Energy said it is waiting for the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) to approve a rate increase it proposed nine months ago to pay for the system upgrades. Consumers Energy's request would result in an additional $423 million from customers.
Electric customers with Consumers Energy paid an average of $134 each month in 2025, which was 12% lower than the national average, according to the company. The cost of electricity through Consumers Energy rose by 10% from 2021 to 2025, said a company spokesperson.
The MPSC is set to have its next meeting on Friday, March 27. An agenda for that meeting had not been published as of 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, just hours after Consumers Energy held a virtual press conference.
The rate increase can be adjusted by the MPSC, but Consumers Energy says any change would go into effect on customer's bills starting this May.
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