In the wake of the snow and ice storms that resulted in lengthy electric outages to many Michigan electric customers, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) reminds residential and business electric customers that they may be eligible for a credit on their electric bill.
“Regulated utilities in Michigan are required to offer bill credits to customers in certain situations after electric outages,” said MPSC Chairman John D. Quackenbush. “Residential customers may qualify for a $25 credit, and commercial customers may also receive a credit based on their minimum bills. Customers should contact their utility to request the credit.”
There are three types of outage conditions that may qualify for a credit — catastrophic condition outages, normal condition outages, and frequent outages.
Credit Under Catastrophic Conditions (Rule 44) A customer is eligible for a credit under catastrophic conditions if the utility fails to restore service within 120 hours after an outage resulting from catastrophic conditions. A catastrophic condition is defined as an event that results in an official state of emergency or an event resulting in an interruption for 10% or more of a utility’s customers. Customers need to notify their electric utilities of the outage.
Credit Under Normal Conditions (Rule 45) A customer is eligible for a credit under normal conditions if the utility fails to restore service within 16 hours after an outage resulting from conditions other than catastrophic conditions. Customers need to notify their electric utility of the outage.
Credit For Repetitive Interruptions (Rule 46) A customer is eligible for a credit for repetitive interruptions if experiencing more than 7 interruptions in a 12 month period. Customers need to notify their electric utility of service outages. The date and time of each outage should be noted in a log or written record. Additional notes should include: when the service was restored, the date and time the company was notified of the outage, and how the company was notified.
More information is contained in the MPSC’s Consumer Tips Sheet.
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