Michigan Public Service Commission finds state’s energy systems ‘adequate, but improvable’

In its final Statewide Energy Assessment released last week, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) determined that the state’s energy systems are currently adequate, but laid out significant ways they could be improved to withstand future challenges.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer requested the energy assessments following a statewide energy emergency declared earlier this year, when Michigan was gripped by a January polar vortex that plunged temperatures. A fire at a Consumers Energy station threatened the flow of natural gas even as the regional electric grid operator, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, demanded all power generation operate at maximum capacity due to an electrical emergency.

Whitmer wanted the MPSC to figure out if Michigan’s systems were adequate to handle such problems in the future and to recommend ways to reduce risks.

“I’m committed to making sure that Michigan is prepared in the face of energy emergencies. That means ensuring we have a reliable, affordable and clean energy supply to keep our economy moving and keep families safe,” Whitmer said. “The Statewide Energy Assessment shows that we have sufficient and unique assets that help ensure reliable supply and delivery of energy to help meet demand, but we have more work to do. We must improve our infrastructure and establish more diverse sources of energy supplies for Michiganders. These actions will help Michigan be more prepared in the case of any emergency event.”

In all, this final report indicated 37 recommendations for ways to improve the state’s energy systems — 15 of them beyond the MPSC’s regulatory jurisdiction. The report focused on five areas: electric, natural gas, propane, cyber and physical security, and energy emergency management.

Recommendations included strengthening natural gas infrastructure maintenance and planning, creating a system of integrated electricity system planning and strengthening electrical connections between Michigan’s peninsulas and its neighboring states, and establishing more diverse sources of energy supply. The report also recommended enacting rules for cybersecurity and incident reporting for natural gas utilities and developing a formal contingency plan for continued supply and delivery of propane in the event of disruptions, including the temporary or permanent shutdown of Enbridge’s Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac.

In response, the MPSC has already begun forming workgroups to address the issues and ordered utilities in the state to file reports regarding how they will serve customers during peak times of colder than normal temperatures and prove resiliency.