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Protect Michigan is a broad-based coalition of labor unions, business organizations and other interest groups dedicated to providing information about the true economic and social costs of Utility Deregulation. The members of Protect Michigan are employees and employers from a wide spectrum of Michigan's public and private sectors. We are utility workers, skilled trades construction workers, construction contractors, and others concerned with the economic health of Michigan and the electric utility industry in particular. Protect Michigan's perspective is that a deficiently designed plan for deregulating Michigan's utility industry could destroy entire sectors of the Michigan economy and that all of us have an obligation to protect Michigan against these kinds of economic disasters. We all share the view that Utility Deregulation is a reality but needs to be negotiated with the objective of providing a comprehensive, positive economic benefit for all. Without a carefully thought out and well-crafted plan, Protect Michigan is fearful of a precipitous deregulation process which could result in bankrupting entire school districts, eliminating thousands of energy worker jobs, and costing residential and small business customers millions of dollars because of higher energy prices.
Dear Friends and Supporters:
Protect Michigan wishes to thank you for your time and monetary contribution in our efforts to educate the public and the public policy makers on the social and economic costs of utility restructuring and deregulation. Your generosity is greatly appreciated because the power marketers and big business have already spent millions of dollars in other states to promote their market power and their own interests. We need to be ready to Protect Michigan and we need even more contributions to counteract those very well funded organizations who can fortify their own interests at the expense of others. We have enclosed a copy of our request for financial support so that you may send or give it to others who may help us. We have received financial support from small businesses who are likely to lose in the fight for cheaper gas and electricity because of unfair competition with large load customers. Our support base is also growing to include Credit Unions who stand to lose accounts and income with loss of good paying jobs in our communities.
Help us to expand our base of support by giving the enclosed letter to other sources who can help us with our cause. Again, thank you for your help and efforts.
Contributions are payable to: Protect Michigan Inc. Mail to: Protect Michigan Inc. C/O Mike Crawford 1026 North Washington Lansing, Michigan 48906 Sincerely, S/S Robert J. Lee President, Protect Michigan Inc.
April 29, 1997
Dear Labor Leaders and Business Associates:
Protect Michigan, Inc. is a non-profit corporation/social welfare organization dedicated to educating and providing information to those interested in the true economic and social costs of Utility Deregulation. We all share the view that Utility Deregulation should be implemented without bankrupting entire school districts, laying off thousands of energy or manufacturing jobs, or costing residential and small business customers millions of dollars in higher energy costs. Protect Michigan is concerned that unless deregulation is conducted in a carefully, well thought out manner, it could destroy entire sectors of the Michigan economy and be detrimental to the environment.
We need your help and financial assistance to be effective in our efforts to educate the public and the public policy makers. Please be a s generous as you can because the cost of multi-media educational projects are very expensive. Protect Michigan needs contributions in order to counteract those very well funded organizations who can fortify their own interests at your expense.
We need to protect Michigan against legislation that could benefit a few at the expense of the rest of us.
~ 12-4-98 Utility Workers and others are opposed to the Senate passed Utility Deregulation bill SB 1340 ~ 9-16-98 Protect Michigan Testimony on Deregulation Legislation ~ 8-10-98 Utility Workers Comments on Detroit Edison & Consumers Energy's Implementation plans ~ Comments of other interested parties Michigan Deregulation Legislation California voter initiative to repeal transition costs, reduce rates 20%, etc. Defaults and Bankruptcies DOE Final Report of the Task Force on Electric System Reliability 9-29-98
11-13-98 Michigan Chamber Of Commerce Analysis
12-4-98 Utility Workers, Protect Michigan and others are opposed to the Senate passed Utility Deregulation bill SB 1340
DOE Final Report of the Task Force on Electric System Reliability 9-29-98
8-28-98 Ohio IOU's Unveil Competition Proposal
6-10-98 New York Bill A8578 This bill would ensure that the reliability of the electric system would be maintained though the continued employment of a skilled workforce by the State`s electric corporations and the Power Authority of the State of New York (PASNY).
8-26-98 Michigan District Attorney Files Complaint Against Consumers Energy
8-14-98 Widower Files Suit In Home Explosion $111million Sought From Utilities, Contractor Still under investigation ~ A prayer service for a gas explosion victim ~ poor work suspected
Environmental ~ The nation's first purchased GURLsystem (geothermal utility return line)
8-10-98 New Merger Creates Michigan's Third Largest Power Utility
CALIFORNIA VOTER INITIATIVE TO ROLL BACK DEREGULATION Smart Voter ~ California League of Women Voters ~ Proposition 9 ~ Prohibits assessment of taxes, bonds, surcharges to pay costs of nuclear power plants. Limits recovery by electric companies for costs of non-nuclear power plants. Prohibits issuance of rate reduction bonds. Fiscal Impact: State government net revenue reductions potentially in the high tens of millions of dollars annually through 2001-02. Local government net revenue reductions potentially in the tens of millions of dollars annually through 2001-02. 8-10-98 Could Voters Roll Back Dereg? If They Do, So What? If Ballot Measure Passes, Nothing Will Happen Proposition 9 Summary ~ Analysis ~ repeals transition costs, requires 20% rate reduction ...
8-10-98 Injured Workers Sue over Coal-Fired Plant Explosion
7-24-98 Michigan ~ The Commission agrees that affiliates of Consumers Energy Company, such as CMS Marketing, Services, and Trading (MST), should not be permitted to act as third-party suppliers for any part of the 100 MW reserved for Rate DA (approved by the Commission in its November 14, 1996 Order in Cases Nos. U-10685, U-10754, and U-10787)
Small Soldiers Film Gives Kids Dangerous Ideas, Peco Says
State Attorney General Accuses Detroit Edison of ‘Greed’ July 6, 1998
6-5-98 Michigan MPSC Staff Market Power Discussion - recommendations
Michigan State Legislature Electric Deregulation Bills House Introduced Bills July 2, 1998 HB 5992HB 5993 HB 5994 HB 5995 HB 5996 HB6003 HB6004 HB6005 ~ HB5893 5-28-98 Alley Environmental Bill ~ ~ HB 5565 2-10-98 Scranton Bill to provide billing data, fuel source, fuel source mmission levels, suspend power supply cost recovery, etc. HB4126HB4127 1-28-97 Dobb codification/consolidation/revision of public acts - prelude to deregulation HB4756 5-7-97 Griffin bill imposing restrictions (regulation) on utilities providing service HB5245 10-8-97 Enron-Alley Bill, Good for Enron, Bad for Michigan SENATE INTRODUCED BILLS SB 1241 SB 1242 SB 1243SB 1244 SB 1245 SB 1246 SB 1340 SB 1341 SB 1342
7-1-98 Consumers Energy Electric Choice Implementation (MPSC) Plan Written public comments should be filed with the Commission by August 10, 1998. 4-24-98 Comments Received on Consumers Energy & Detroit Edison Draft Implementation Plans
7-1-98 Detroit Edison Electric Choice Implementation (MPSC) Plan Written public comments should be filed with the Commission by August 10, 1998 4-24-98 Comments Received on Consumers Energy & Detroit Edison Draft Implementation Plans OH, did anyone think there would be control over how high prices could go with Deregulation? FERC, State Regulators may Meet on Price Spike High Price of Power Hits Midwest Utilities June 30, 1998 U.S. utility earnings hit by Midwest power price spike Market price for power in the Midwest soared to record levels of as high as $3,200 a megawatt-hour, 125 times last year's average cost. Detroit Edison Asks People to Cut Back on Electricity Use Utilities Ask FERC for Emergency Power Price Meeting
Boston-Finney’s Kid Boss Turns Himself In; Faces Music
The Clinton Administrations Comprehensive Electricity Competition Plan, DOE Press Release, Questions &Answers CECPlan, Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO Initial Response, IBEW Comments on the Clinton Plan, Utility Workers Union of America Position Paper on Deregulation and Restructuring of the Electric Utility Industry, IBEW Utility Deregulation: Will Deregulation Short Circuit North America's Electric Power Supply? How Clinton Bill Would Change Electric IndustryLCG, June 29, 1997 EEI'S Initial Reaction to Administration's Electricity Restructuring Outline
Gas Deregulation Summit June 20, 1998 Los Angeles Convention Center, SEIU, IBEW and UWUA synopsis and photos