Federal ruling in U.P. power plant dispute will help utility customers save millions

Statement by Gary Talarico “ The ruling today is great news from FERC. I hope this is the beginning of lowering rates for all residential customers in the Upper Peninsula. I want to thank the Michigan Public Service Commission, Michigan Agency for Energy and the Attorney General’s office for fighting this matter to the end. It is also welcome relief that FERC has referred the matter to its enforcement division to investigate whether fraud was committed. I echo Valerie Brader’s, the Executive Director of the Michigan Agency for Energy, comments that we need to end these backroom secret deals that have cost the Upper Peninsula’s residential ratepayers millions of dollars in excessive rates. I am now hopeful that the MPSC will soon reject UMERC’s (formerly WEPCO) bid to construct two $277 million gas plants in the U.P. and instead begin a thorough U.P.-wide Integrated Resource Plan to determine the cheapest and cleanest fuel source for all of our needs. We have recently submitted a petition with over 500 signatures of U.P. residents supporting such action in case U-18147 and U-18224. Any residents still wanting to file comments can do so by sending an email to mpscedockets@michigan.gov with these case numbers in the subject line.” Gary Talarico Consumer Energy Advocate 906-450-7675 mobile 877-434-7411 toll free <*)((((((((((><