December 9, 2003

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today issued an order requiring Michigan’s investor-owned utilities to file reports by April 1, 2004 on their tree and vegetation trimming practices around the transmission and distribution lines used to serve their customers.  Both the MPSC’s report and the U.S.-Canada Power System Outage Task Force’s report on the August 14 blackout indicate that power line contacts with trees were part of what triggered it.

“Today’s order comes as a direct result of reports on the August 14 blackout that concluded that sagging power lines that came into contact with trees were an important factor in triggering the cascading blackout that left 50 million people without power,” said MPSC Chair J. Peter Lark.  “The MPSC wants to make sure that such an event does not start in Michigan because of inadequate tree trimming practices.  With these reports, the Commission will get a comprehensive understanding of what Michigan’s investor-owned electric utilities and transmission companies are doing to keep power lines clear of trees to make sure their customers’ power stays on.”

The required reports will include a comprehensive description of all action taken during calendar year 2003 to trim vegetation away from power lines, frequency of trimming practices, efforts to focus on particular problem areas, plans for future trimming, finances devoted to vegetation trimming activity in calendar year 2003 and over the past five years.

Investor-owned utilities in Michigan are:  Detroit Edison, Consumers, Indiana Michigan Power Company, Alpena Power Company, Edison Sault Electric Company, Upper Peninsula Power Company, Wisconsin Electric Power Company, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and Xcel Energy.

The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Labor & Economic Growth.

Case No. U-13975

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