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| Smart Meters; Court rulings | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 11 2012, 10:05 PM (440 Views) | |
| Mrs.M | Apr 11 2012, 10:05 PM Post #1 |
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Veteran
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Appeals court: DTE Energy shouldn't have hiked rates for smart meters 1:32 PM, April 11, 2012 | http://www.freep.com/article/20120411/NEWS06/120411033/Appeals-court-DTE-Energy-smart-meters?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s By Paul Egan Detroit Free Press Lansing Bureau Local News Michigan DTE Energy Lansing Detroit Edison LANSING – The Public Service Commission should not have allowed DTE Energy a rate increase of nearly $37 million to pay for smart meters, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled today. “We will not rubber-stamp a decision permitting such a substantial expenditure – a cost to be borne by the citizens of this state – that is not properly supported,” the three-judge panel said in a written opinion. “Were we to do so, we would abdicate our judicial review obligations.” The court ordered the Michigan PSC to conduct a full hearing on the benefits and potential burdens of smart meters, which allow for remote meter reading and greater options to manage usage and billing. The Association of Businesses Advocating Tariff Equity (ABATE) had appealed the PSC’s decision to approve a rate increase to pay for the pilot program, arguing there was a lack of hard evidence to support it. The appeals court agreed. “At best, the actual evidence presented by Detroit Edison to support the rate increase was aspirational testimony describing the (smart meter) program in optimistic, but speculative terms,” the court said. The increase for the smart meters, which has already been implemented, was part of a $217.4-million DTE rate increase the PSC authorized in 2010. The PSC announced in January it was opening an investigation into the use of smart meters by DTE and other Michigan utilities. The appeals court also overturned the PSC’s approval of a “rate decoupling mechanism” for DTE, under which the utility would not be as adversely affected by reductions in energy use as a result of conservation programs. The court ruled the PSC has the authority to approve such programs for gas utilities but not for electric utilities. “The commissioners are reviewing the court’s decision and will be determining further steps, said PSC spokeswoman Judy Palnau. DTE lawyers were studying the opinion and had no immediate comment, spokesman John Austerberry said. Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com |
| I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG. | |
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