Consumers Energy Customers In Michigan Can Expect A Rate Hike Soon

If you are a Consumers Energy customer, 2020 has one last surprise for you in the form of a higher energy bill.

MidMichiganNow reports that Michigan lawmakers have authorized Consumers Energy to hike up their energy rates by roughly $100 Million in 2021. Before you completely freak out over that huge number, the increase is spread among all Michigan customers. The average customer will see an increase of around $9 a month to their energy bill.

The increase will start in January for Michigan customers. The crazy part about the approved increase is that it's not even half of what Consumers had requested!

So why would anyone approve a rate hike anyway? Consumers justifies the increase by pointing out the increased cost of maintenance like tree trimming and such. I know that an extra $9 a month isn't the end of the world, but the timing of it is just really bad. Most of us are scrambling around trying to figure out how to pay for Christmas during a pandemic right now. The last thing we need to hear is that another bill is going to be higher, and we don't have any say in it.

Consumers is very good about giving tips to help keep your energy bills lower though, along with helping to set up payment plans if you need help. You can get information on those here.