January 27, 2026
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The MPSC’s monthly podcast, Behind the Meter, dives into data centers in its January episode, exploring the Commission’s role in the issue and the strong protections the Commission has approved for customers of the state’s two largest electric utilities.
The episode features Chair Dan Scripps and Commissioners Katherine Peretick and Shaquila Myers and is hosted by MPSC Chief Operating Officer Mike Byrne.
In the podcast, Commissioners discuss the MSPC’s jurisdiction on data centers, including reviewing power supply contracts between utilities and data centers and establishing protections so other ratepayers, including residential customers, aren’t forced to pay any of the costs of providing service to data centers and other large-load customers.
With regulated utilities obligated by law to provide service to new customers in their service territories, the Commission has approved additional requirements that apply to new large-load customers of Consumers Energy Co. and special contracts for DTE Electric Co. to provide service to a data center planned for Saline Township in Washtenaw County. These approvals contain the strongest consumer protections in the country against ratepayer subsidization of data center costs, including longer contracts; guaranteed minimum bills, even if the data center customer ends up using less energy than expected; exit fees and early termination payments; and credit and collateral requirements in the event of a default. In addition, Commissioners also discussed additional requirements that require data centers and other very large-load customers to detail any additional resources needed to maintain grid reliability and how they will cover the costs of those resources, including the commitment in the DTE Electric case that the data center customer fully fund nearly 1,400 megawatts of energy storage resources, an amount that equates to more than half of Michigan’s first-in-the-region commitment to 2,500 megawatts of energy storage by 2030 that was included in the 2023 energy reforms.
Learn more in the MPSC’s issue briefs on the Consumers case and the DTE Electric case.
The MPSC’s Behind the Meter podcast explores important energy and telecommunications issues, from utility rate cases and Michigan’s energy transition to efforts to expand broadband and boost electric reliability. Episodes feature guests including MPSC Commissioners, MPSC Staff, and outside experts in various fields in energy and telecommunications. Behind the Meter episodes are available on the MPSC’s website and on major podcast platforms.
The MPSC serves as an expert, impartial regulator committed to consumer protection, fairness and transparency. For information about the MPSC, visit www.michigan.gov/mpsc or sign up for its monthly newsletter or other listservs. Follow the MPSC on Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.
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