Recent Information

October 13, 2008

Customer Choice Coalition Opinion Editorial

State drops ball on energy
(Lansing State Journal, October 13, 2008)
The LSJ's Sept. 28 editorial orrectly notes that the Legislature approved a "bailout" plan for the state's two largest utilities, despite the fact that "Consumers Energy and DTE, are experiencing substantial profits."

This occurred despite the fact that the utilities were "bailed out" in 2000 by the Legislature in return for opening their systems to competition. (full article)

Electricity monopoly would burden economy
(Booth Newspapers, August 12, 2008)
Michigan's economy is the worst-performing one in the nation, and the Saginaw area has been particularly hard hit by the state's economic woes.

The potential Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. expansion offers some hope of economic improvement. Originally, tax changes necessary for the Hemlock expansion were tied to a bill, House Bill 5524, which has been referred to falsely as "electricity market reform," but the bill as passed by the Senate removed this connection. ( full article )

Customer Choice Coalition letter to legislators

December 20, 2007

CCC, others testify against utility bills to end customer choice

Association of Businesses Advocating Tariff Equity (ABATE)
Fritz Benson and Rick Coy

Constellation Energy
Terry S. Harvill

Customer Choice Coalition
Eric Schneidewind and Robert Nelson

December 10, 2007

Opposition grows to Accavitti plan that would raise electric rates,
kill choice and competition - CCC Press Release
(December 10, 2007)

Opposition is growing to legislation that would take away choice from Michigan’s electric customers and raise rates for residential customers by $350 million.

Groups representing electric customers, including senior citizens, schools and business, along with independent energy companies joined former Michigan Public Service Commission members in expressing strong opposition to House Bills 5520-24, being pushed this week by Rep. Frank Accavitti, D-Eastpointe, who chairs the House Energy and Technology Committee. (full release)

Customers, Competitors urge against House energy package
(Gongwer News Service, December 10, 2007)
A package of bills now before the House Energy and Technology Committee would mean higher electric rates for residents and businesses, a group representing those customers and alternative electric suppliers said Monday.

Members of the Customer Choice Coalition said at a press conference that the package (HB 5520, HB 5521, HB 5522, HB 5523, HB 5524) would allow utilities to set rates as they chose and would not allow competitors an opportunity to offset those increases. (full article)

Choice Coalition Comes Out Swinging
(MIRS, December 10, 2007)
The chair of a committee considering electric industry reforms claims his legislative changes would allow consumers to still pick a utility, but the head of the Customer Choice Coalition (CCC) said today, "This legislation would literally kill electric choice (and) customers would see rates go up immediately." (full article)

Miss the press conference?
Simply click the name of the speaker
to hear their remarks:

Barry Cargill, Executive Director, Customer Choice Coalition

Eric Schneidewind, Former MPSC Chair

Robert Nelson, Former MPSC member

Bill Knox, Associate State Director for Government Affairs, AARP

Ray Telman, Executive Director of the Middle Cities Education Association and Administrator of the Michigan School Electric Cooperative

Mary Dechow, Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Spartan Stores, Inc.

Tanya Paslawski, Manager, Government and Regulatory Affairs
Direct Energy

Morley Silver, Senior Vice President, Universal Energy Corporation

Barry Cargill, Executive Director, Customer Choice Coalition