November 7, 2002

The Michigan Public Service Commission today granted Strategic Energy, L.L.C. and Premier Energy Marketing L.L.C. licenses as alternative electric suppliers to sell electric generation to Michigan retail customers.  An alternative electric supplier is a person selling electric generation service to retail customers in Michigan, other than a person who physically delivers electricity directly to retail customers.   The Commission concluded that Strategic Energy and Premier satisfied the statutory requirements to obtain a license as an alternative electric supplier under the Customer Choice and Electricity Reliability Act of 2000.  The Commission has approved twenty-two previous licenses under this Act.  The 2000 Act opened Michigan's electricity market so that retail customers of the state's investor-owned utilities could choose their supplier as of the first of January 2002.   Strategic Energy and Premier applied for a license on October 2, 2002 and October 30, 2002, respectively.

The Commission found that Strategic Energy's and Premier's applications were in the public interest and that competition for electric service can be advantageous for Michigan citizens.  The Commission concluded that approval of the alternative electric supplier licenses will expand the opportunities for competition.  The Commission approved the licenses conditioned on compliance with the applicable provisions of the Act and the Commission's orders.  Failure to comply fully may result in revocation of the license or other penalties.  The Commission also granted the licenses conditioned upon the companies' provision of electric service within a reasonable time, indicating that failure to do so may result in revocation of the license.

Interested parties may obtain more information on Michigan's alternative electric suppliers by accessing the MPSC Web site at:  http://www.michigan.gov/mpsc

Strategic Energy and Premier are headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Warren, Michigan, respectively.

The MPSC is an agency within the Department of Consumer and Industry Services.


Cases Nos. U-13609, U-13620