LDC Must Offer Contiguous Billing, Absorb Special Discounts
The Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC) has reaffirmed an earlier decision requiring Consumers Power Co., a natural gas local distribution company (LDC), to absorb revenue losses associated with special discounts granted to large transportation customers under contracts and tariffs approved by the PSC. While directing the LDC to reduce base gas rates by $11.73 million, the PSC ruled that Consumers had failed to prove that the discounts were justified by cost of service or that the load-retention aspects of the discounts conferred a general benefit on ratepayers.