A state Senate committee on Thursday approved energy legislation that, among other things, sets new requirements for use of renewable energy and restricts electricity customers’ ability to choose alternate suppliers.
The bills approved by the Senate Energy Policy and Public Utilities Committee now go to the full Senate.
Hailing the Thursday action was the Michigan Jobs and Energy Coalition, which supported the House-passed package and said it would provide affordable electricity and a structure to encourage development of new plants.
Michigan’s two largest energy companies – DTE Energy Co. and CMS Energy Corp. – have been major supporters of the bills, which include measures to establish a new approval process for power plants and utility rates, and eliminate businesses’ current subsidy of residential rates.
One bill also requires that electricity providers obtain at least 10 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2015.
Color me stunned. On to a full Senate vote next.