(WWJ) After two separate ice storms knocked out power to more than half-a-million customers across the Metro Detroit area, the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) has announced several new policies -- including an increased, automatic credit to consumers who lose power for more than four days during future severe weather events.
Under the new regulations, customers who lose power for more than four days during major outage conditions will receive an automatic $35 credit to their account.
Credits will also be given to anyone in the dark for more than 16 hours under standard conditions. An extra $35 will also be credited for each additional day the lights are off.
Previously, residents could only receive a $25 credit for prolonged outages, and the consumer had to apply for the payment themselves.
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In addition to the updated terms regarding outage credits, the new order also requires utility companies to restore extended outages quicker and lessens the amount of time first responders must guard downed wires before being relieved by a line worker.
"These are significant steps forward," said MPSC Chair Dan Scripps, though he also acknowledged that there is still a lot of work to do on the distribution grid.
To improve transparency and keep consumers informed, the MPSC also launched two new webpages on Friday.
The first webpage provides information on the reliability of the current electrical grid. Starting on May 15, customers will be able to access that data, allowing them to observe reliability metrics, trends and trouble spots in power distribution.
Users will also be able to look up statistics from major outages dating back to 2019 for DTE, Consumers Energy and any other electric utilities that fall under the jurisdiction of the MPSC.
A second webpage includes links to preparedness tips and resources created by the MPSC and other emergency response organizations. It also features information on how to locate and contact your utility company, where to find outage maps and information on warming and cooling centers.
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