MICHIGAN RATEPAYER FUNDED PROGRAMS

CURRENT PROGRAMS
Rate Assistance
  • Michigan Energy Assistance Program
    • Eligibility is 150% FPG. Helps low-income households pay their energy bills and move toward energy self-sufficiency. The program must distribute 70% of its funds during the "crisis season," defined as November 1 through May 31.
Energy Efficiency
  • Income Qualified Energy Optimization Program
    • Weatherization and rebates for energy-efficient products.
Participating Utilities
  • MEAP: 22 utilities, including investor-owned utilities and municipals, participated during the 2014-2015 program year.
  • Low-Income Energy Efficiency: All utilities (IOUs, municipals, and co-ops) are required to offer energy optimization program for low-income customers.
Annual Funding (2014)
  • MEAP: Estimated $50 million from ratepayer funds; $40
    million from Michigan LIHEAP
  • Income Qualified Energy Optimization Program
    • Efficiency UNITED (group of 20 utilities that included investor owned and municipalities): $461,527
    • Detroit Edison Energy: $12.3 million
    • Consumers Energy: $14 million
Households Served (2014)
  • MEAP: 79,280
  • Income Qualified Energy Optimization Program (2012)
    • Efficiency UNITED: 2,721
    • Detroit Edison Energy: 42,396
    • Consumers Energy: 27,044
    		•
    Funding Mechanism
  • MEAP: Funded by a Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund surcharge on the bills of participating electricity providers.
  • Income Qualified Energy Optimization Program: Funded through a surcharge on customers' electric and natural gas bills.
    • Administration
  • MEAP: Michigan Public Service Commission and Michigan Department of Human Services
  • Energy Efficiency: Utilities with regulatory oversight. Many utilities use local action agencies to administer energy efficiency programs.
    • LEGISLATION
    Authorizing
    Other Important
    • Public Act 286 of 2008: Removed the previously-used Low-Income and Energy Efficiency Fund (LIEEF) from state statute.
    • Public Act 274 of 2011: Established one-year "Vulnerable Household Warmth Fund" to temporarily replace LIEEF.
    • Senate Bill 1134 of 2012: Funding mechanism for the Michigan Energy Assistance Program that failed to pass the legislature.
    REPORTS / EVALUATIONS