Miranda Richardson / news@whmi.com

Consumers Energy is seeking a $423 million rate increase to fund infrastructure upgrades designed to strengthen its electric grid reliability against severe weather. The investment focuses on projects such as replacing power poles, tree trimming, and installation of smart-grid technology.

This week, Consumers Energy has an update on the rate increase request aimed at minimizing outages and improving restoration times. The company says a decision is expected on its 2026 Reliability Action Plan later this week from the Michigan Public Service Commission.

Consumers Energy says the funding will allow the company to carry out projects that will help secure the electric grid, leading to fewer and shorter power outages across the state. Greg Salisbury, Consumers Energy’s senior vice president of electric distribution, says those projects include clearing trees away from power lines, along with burying more power lines underground.

Goals of the plan include restoring power to all customers within 24 hours of the outage, along with limiting a single outage to no more than 100,000 customers at a time. Kelly Hall, Consumers Energy’s senior vice president of regulatory and legal affairs, says customers will likely notice a change in their bills in May. She says although the company is laser-focused on improving efficiency, Consumers Energy is still focused on reducing costs for their customers.