Michigan Households Face New Summer Energy Rates June 1

Rising gas prices near $4.99 a gallon and hotter Michigan summers are squeezing household budgets this season. From air conditioning to e-bikes to pool pumps, how much is all that summer fun actually going to cost you?

One Simple Change Could Cut Your Summer Energy Bill:

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Avoiding peak energy usage hours!

Consumers Energy’s annual peak summer pricing takes effect Monday, June 1 and runs through the end of September. This means simple chores like charging your electric vehicle, doing a load of laundry, or even charging your phone will cost you more-- if you do them during certain hours.

When you use less electricity at peak times, it means we don’t need to use as much natural gas and can rely more on our cleaner energy sources. It also places less strain on the grid, so we can be more reliable. And being more reliable means everyone can have access to electricity when they need it. -- Consumers Energy

In this economy, I’ll do whatever it takes to avoid a higher bill, even if that means waiting until 8:00 p.m. to start a load of laundry. In fact, the habit of saving major chores for off-peak hours is so ingrained in me that I usually only ever run my dishwasher right before bed-- even in the winter!

Beginning June 1st, weekdays between 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. will be considered "on-peak" and customers will be charged $0.245/kWh. All other hours, including weekends, are considered "off-peak" and will cost $0.197/kWh.

Learn more about Consumers Energy's summer rate and their Peak Power Savers Programs and rebates here.