Lawmakers Fighting to Stop Rate Increase

With utlity prices looking to increase for U.P. residents in the near future, lawmakers are determined to keep fighting against it. U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, along with Congressman Dan Benishek have introduced legislation that would require additional oversight by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, allowing the agency to stop the pending $100 million annual electric rate increase for families and businesses in the Upper Peninsula. FERC shares oversight responsibilities and has a mandate to consider utility cost allocation issues. The POWER Act would require FERC to review, analyze, and disapprove any decision by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation that resulted in unjust and unreasonable rate increases on families and businesses. This new authority would provide FERC a direct path to overturn unfair cost shifts resulting from NERC actions. Last week, FERC announced it would delay the UP rate increases that were previously expected to begin on December 1 in order to further investigate the problem.