Consumers Energy Response to Michigan Public Service Commission Order on Estimated Bills
CONSUMERS ENERGY MEDIA STATEMENT
Summary:
Consumers Energy recognizes that its performance on estimated bills does not reflect our standards of customer service
We will comply with the MPSC’s Order
Working with the Commission and improving our internal processes, we have made significant improvements including increasing our actual meter read rate to 97% on a monthly basis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — Consumers Energy is addressing the issue of estimated customer bills as it works with the Michigan Public Service Commission. We recognize that our performance on this issue does not reflect our standards of customer service, and we are committed to making this right.
A comprehensive plan launched in November to address customers with consecutive estimated bills has been fully executed. As of May 1, the Company met its commitment outlined in its February report to the MPSC to reduce the number of customer accounts with three or more months of consecutively estimated bills by more than 75 percent.
We appreciate the time and effort the MPSC staff and commissioners provided for its review and look forward to continued discussion with the MPSC regarding this matter.
We are focused on ensuring that customers receive accurate bills based on actual meter reads on a consistent basis. This means monthly visits to homes or businesses, and when necessary, seeking customer access for an actual meter read. We are confident this will improve our meter read rate for all customers and further lessen the problem of consecutive estimated bills. As a result of our focused efforts, the actual meter read rate has increased to 97% on a monthly basis.
We are upgrading meter technology to further reduce estimated bills for electric customers and for customers with combination accounts (electric and gas), with this enhanced service in place by year-end 2017. We have upgraded meter technology to over 1 million customers, with plans to complete nearly another 1 million upgrades in 2016. For our gas-only customers, we are also committed to improving our technology to ensure that meter reading performance is improved.
Consumers Energy is committed to providing customers with safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable electric and natural gas service.
Media Contacts: Dan Bishop, 517-788-2395, or Brian Wheeler, 517-788-2394
