JACKSON, Mich., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Conservation by
customers and mild weather are offsetting high natural gas prices and helping
to hold down the increase in winter heating bills, a top Consumers Energy
executive told a legislative panel today.
The utility projected last fall that a typical residential customer would
see an average bill increase of $40 to $50 per month this winter. Consumers
Energy now projects the average bill increase will be about half that --
roughly $25 per month -- for the five-month heating season, which runs from
Nov. 1 to March 31.
John Russell, the president and chief operating officer of Consumers
Energy, said the updated projection shouldn't reduce the focus on conservation
and providing assistance to customers in need.
"High natural gas prices are here for the long term and we need to work
together to help customers deal with higher bills. The best way for customers
to deal with today's high natural gas prices is to conserve energy and call us
if they're going to have trouble paying their bill," Russell said in testimony
prepared for the House Energy and Technology Committee.
In November, Consumers Energy launched its Energy Answers campaign to
provide customers with information about gas pricing, energy conservation, and
the assistance programs for customers who need help paying their energy bills.
That campaign includes an Energy Answers section on the utility's website,
http://www.consumersenergy.com .
Russell pointed out that more assistance dollars are on the way for low-
income customers. The Michigan Public Service Commission allocated $27
million for aid last month in a Consumers Energy electric rate case order.
Consumers Energy has seen a sharp increase in the number of customers
enrolled in the Winter Protection Plan, which provides shutoff protection for
low-income and senior citizen customers. Last December, about 57,000
customers were enrolled in the plan, compared to 41,000 in December 2004.
Russell said the utility's Budget Plan offers other customers another tool
to manage their winter heating costs. Under the Budget Plan, a customer's
estimated annual energy bill is divided into equal monthly payments.
"With our Budget Plan, customers pay a certain amount each month for their
energy bill. That allows them to 'average out' their bills and avoid big
bills during the winter," he said.
Customers will be able to enroll in the 2006-07 Budget Plan starting in
the spring.
Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, provides natural
gas and electricity to more than six million of Michigan's 10 million
residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
For more information about Consumers Energy, visit our Website at
http://www.consumersenergy.com
SOURCE Consumers Energy
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CONTACT:
Media Contacts: Jeff Holyfield,
+1-517-788-2394, or Dan Bishop, +1-517-788-2395, both of
Consumers Energy
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