December 4, 2007, Introduced by Reps. Mayes and Accavitti and referred to the Committee on Energy and Technology.
A bill to amend 1939 PA 3, entitled
"An act to provide for the regulation and control of public and
certain private utilities and other services affected with a public
interest within this state; to provide for alternative energy
suppliers; to provide for licensing; to include municipally owned
utilities and other providers of energy under certain provisions of
this act; to create a public service commission and to prescribe
and define its powers and duties; to abolish the Michigan public
utilities commission and to confer the powers and duties vested by
law on the public service commission; to provide for the
continuance, transfer, and completion of certain matters and
proceedings; to abolish automatic adjustment clauses; to prohibit
certain rate increases without notice and hearing; to qualify
residential energy conservation programs permitted under state law
for certain federal exemption; to create a fund; to provide for a
restructuring of the manner in which energy is provided in this
state; to encourage the utilization of resource recovery
facilities; to prohibit certain acts and practices of providers of
energy; to allow for the securitization of stranded costs; to
reduce rates; to provide for appeals; to provide appropriations; to
declare the effect and purpose of this act; to prescribe remedies
and penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,"
(MCL 460.1 to 460.10cc) by adding section 11.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 11. (1) The commission shall establish a permanent energy
forecasting group to be located at Michigan state university,
within its institute of public utilities. IPU, Michigan state
university's center for economic analysis, and the university of
Michigan's research seminar in quantitative economics shall
participate in the forecasting group. The commission and IPU shall
mutually appoint a director and staff for the forecasting group.
The forecasting group may use commission staff if the commission
finds it appropriate and economical.
(2) The forecasting group shall be financially supported from
funds appropriated to the commission for that purpose.
(3) The forecasting group shall develop and keep current a
methodology or methodologies for both of the following:
(a) Forecasting aggregate consumption, supplies, and prices of
electricity and alternative energy resources that produce
electricity within this state and within this region of the United
States.
(b) Measuring the effect of environmental compliance
standards, alternative energy resources that produce electricity,
and energy efficiency programs on aggregate consumption, supplies,
and prices of electricity within this state and within this region
of the United States.
(4) In fulfilling its duties under subsection (3), the
forecasting group may contract with parties to acquire their
services.
(5) In fulfilling its duties under subsection (3), the
forecasting group shall solicit the input of the electricity
industry, including generators, independent transmission companies,
and public utilities, and residential, commercial, and industrial
consumers of electricity and alternative energy. The forecasting
group may also seek input from relevant regional transmission
organizations and other relevant parties.
(6) The commission shall develop and keep current, primarily
using the methodology or methodologies developed by the forecasting
group, an analysis of the long-range needs for expansion of
facilities for the generation, transportation, or transmission of
electricity or alternative energy that produces electricity.
(7) As used in this section:
(a) "Alternative energy" means energy generated or released
from an alternative energy system, as defined in section 2 of the
Michigan next energy authority act, 2002 PA 593, MCL 207.822.
(b) "Commission" means the Michigan public service commission
created in section 1.
(c) "Forecasting group" means the energy forecasting group
established by the commission under subsection (1).
(d) "IPU" means Michigan state university's institute of
public utilities.