January 29, 2008

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) today issued an order denying a request by Hartland Township and several area homeowners for a rehearing in a case involving the construction of an overhead transmission line in Livingston and Oakland counties by ITCTransmission.

The Commission on May 31, 2007 approved the company's request for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the overhead transmission line. 

Hartland Township filed a petition for rehearing in the case on June 14, 2007, and several homeowners filed a petition for rehearing on June 29, 2007.

In denying the requests for rehearing today, the MPSC noted that the petitions for rehearing failed to meet the requirements for rehearing laid out in Rule 403 of the Commission's Rules and Practice and Procedure.  That rule requires that such petitions be based on claims of error or newly discovered evidence. 

While sensitive to the concerns of the Township, the Commission also noted that the Township's proposal to require the funding of the transmission line to be placed underground cannot be enforced. 

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

Case No. U-14861