SENATE BILL No. 787

 

 

September 19, 2007, Introduced by Senator PATTERSON and referred to the Committee on Energy Policy and Public Utilities.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1939 PA 3, entitled

 

"An act to provide for the regulation and control of public and

certain private utilities and other services affected with a public

interest within this state; to provide for alternative energy

suppliers; to provide for licensing; to include municipally owned

utilities and other providers of energy under certain provisions of

this act; to create a public service commission and to prescribe

and define its powers and duties; to abolish the Michigan public

utilities commission and to confer the powers and duties vested by

law on the public service commission; to provide for the

continuance, transfer, and completion of certain matters and

proceedings; to abolish automatic adjustment clauses; to prohibit

certain rate increases without notice and hearing; to qualify

residential energy conservation programs permitted under state law

for certain federal exemption; to create a fund; to provide for a

restructuring of the manner in which energy is provided in this

state; to encourage the utilization of resource recovery

facilities; to prohibit certain acts and practices of providers of

energy; to allow for the securitization of stranded costs; to

reduce rates; to provide for appeals; to provide appropriations; to

declare the effect and purpose of this act; to prescribe remedies

and penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,"

 

by amending sections 10 and 10u (MCL 460.10 and 460.10u), as added

 

by 2000 PA 141.

 


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 10. (1) Sections 10 through 10bb 10cc shall be known and

 

may be cited as the "customer choice and electricity reliability

 

act".

 

     (2) The purpose of sections 10a through 10bb is to do all of

 

the following:

 

     (a) To ensure that all retail customers in this state of

 

electric power have a choice of electric suppliers.

 

     (b) To allow and encourage the Michigan public service

 

commission to foster competition in this state in the provision of

 

electric supply and maintain regulation of electric supply for

 

customers who continue to choose supply from incumbent electric

 

utilities.

 

     (c) To encourage the development and construction of merchant

 

plants which will diversify the ownership of electric generation in

 

this state.

 

     (d) To ensure that all persons in this state are afforded

 

safe, reliable electric power at a reasonable rate.

 

     (e) To improve the opportunities for economic development in

 

this state and to promote financially healthy and competitive

 

utilities in this state.

 

     (3) Subsection (2) does not apply after December 31, 2003.

 

     Sec. 10u. The commission shall file a report with the governor

 

and legislature by February 1 of each year that shall include all

 

of the following:

 

     (a) The status of competition for the supplying of electricity

 

in this state.

 


     (b) Recommendations for legislation, if any.

 

     (c) Actions taken by the commission to implement measures

 

necessary to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive business

 

practices by utilities, alternative electric suppliers, and other

 

market participants.

 

     (d) Information regarding consumer education programs,

 

approved by the commission, to inform consumers of all relevant

 

information regarding the purchase of electricity and related

 

services from alternative electric suppliers.

 

     (e) The progress made in achieving the goals set forth in

 

section 10.