More and more, customers of Consumers Energy are using less energy.
Customers of the Jackson-based company in 2009 took advantage of incentives to use 145,118 megawatt-hours less of electricity and almost 400 million cubic feet less of natural gas, according to a recent report from the Michigan Public Service Commission.
That represents a tiny fraction of the energy Consumers delivers each year. But Terry Mierzwa, the company’s executive manager of marketing, energy efficiency and research, said he estimates more than 300,000 residential customers and more than 10,000 business customers participated in at least one program that offers incentives to reduce energy use.
Programs
Customers can save on their Consumers Energy bills through energy-efficiency programs. They include:
• Discounts on compact fluorescent light bulbs at several retailers.
• Rebates on energy-efficient furnaces and water heaters.
• A “bounty” program for turning in working, full-sized old refrigerators and freezers. For more information, visit
The programs stem from a 2008 energy law and are funded by surcharges on customers’ bills. On Thursday, the MPSC approved increasing them for both electric and gas customers of Consumers.
The monthly electric surcharge will be about $1.35 for electric customers and $1.83 per month for natural gas customers. They had been 71 cents per month for electric customers and $1.72 per month for natural gas customers.
In 2009, Consumers Energy spent about $38 million on these programs. The utility expects to spend about $56 million this year, Mierzwa said.
“Our customers have been telling us in the past that they look to us to help save energy and save money on their bill,” Mierzwa said.
“We provide them tips and advice, but this is a much more robust effort, and they are gobbling it up.”
The programs were so popular this year that Mierzwa said several had to be suspended because money ran out. Consumers has created a waiting list so they can begin again in 2011.
Mierzwa said they hate to suspend the programs, but there is a set amount of funding available each year. But it’s also a good sign because it shows people are excited about the programs and taking advantage of them.
“We’re recycling thousands of secondary refrigerators,” he said.
In 2009, customers bought about 800,000 compact fluorescent light bulbs at stores in Consumers’ service territory. This year more than 1 million have been sold.
Because the programs encourage people to use less energy, Consumers also receives a financial incentive to promote it. Last year, Consumers earned $5.7 million for exceeding all of its goals and targets.
Mierzwa said the utility is on track to do even better this year and estimates the reward for its 2010 efforts will be about $8 million.