1 / 60

Role of Michigan Regulators in providing Consumer Education

Role of Michigan Regulators in providing Consumer Education.

wilona
Download Presentation

Role of Michigan Regulators in providing Consumer Education

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Role of Michigan Regulators in providing Consumer Education

  2. The mission of the Michigan Public Service Commission is to grow Michigan's economy and enhance the quality of life of its communities by assuring safe and reliable energy, telecommunications, and transportation services at reasonable rates.

  3. Goals • Establish fair and reasonable rates for regulated services and adopt and administer fair terms and conditions of service for the State's utility customers. • Assure adequate and reliable supplies of regulated services to all Michigan customers, and the safe and efficient production, distribution, and use of the State's energy, telecommunications, and transportation services. • Assure the security of the State's critical infrastructure by promoting homeland security. • Promote the State's economic growth and enhance the quality of life of its communities through adoption of new technologies like broadband telecommunications and efficient renewable energy resources. • Provide customers with the opportunity to choose alternative electric, natural gas, telecommunications, and transportation providers. • Provide regulatory oversight in a prudent and efficient manner while implementing legislative and constitutional requirements.

  4. Service Quality Division • The Service Quality Division (SQD) is responsible for assisting the Commission with the development, implementation, and enforcement of utility (natural gas, electric, telecommunication, and cable) quality of service rules, orders, and policies. • The Division is responsible for preparing and assisting residential, business (primarily small) and non-profit utility customers to productively participate in utility markets. • Many services provided in utility markets (especially natural gas and electricity) are not delivered in a competitive market so customers are reliant on regulatory measures to provide assistance and protections. • Where competition is introduced in traditional regulated utility markets, it is critical that customers understand how these changes will affect them so they can effectively participate in competitively restructured markets.

  5. Our Motto Empowering Michigan citizens to make informed energy, tele-communication and cable decisions.

  6. Role of Utilities in Providing Consumer Education • Focus on Michigan’s two largest regulated utilities • Consumers Energy-6 million electric customers • DTE-2.1 million electric customers

  7. Consumers Energy

  8. Consumers Energy

  9. DTE Energy

  10. DTE Energy • http://www.dteenergy.com/residentialCustomers/

  11. History of MPSC Consumer Education Activity • Consumer Forums first held across state in 1989 • Held annually in six to eight locations around the state each year • Annual attendance ranged from 200 to 600 attendees

  12. History of MPSC Consumer Education Activity • Consumer Alerts created ten years ago-distributed at Consumer Forums, mailed and emailed to customers • Now titled Consumer Tips-2011 MPSC distributed 58,000 Consumer Tips to customers around the state • Currently almost 50 Consumer Tips-covering Electric, Natural Gas, Telephone, Business Customers and Video Cable issues

  13. History of MPSC Consumer Education Activity • Toll Free Telephone Number-Call Center-created in 2003 • Call Center staff are available to assist Michigan Consumers • Monday-Friday, 8:30 to 4:30

  14. History of MPSC Consumer Education Activity • MPSC Website created in 1995 • Complaints and inquiries can also be sent using our website • Website includes information on a number of consumer topics

  15. History of MPSC Consumer Education Activity • Calls to the MPSC Call Center have been steadily declining

  16. History of MPSC Consumer Education Activity • Annual information provided to the MPSC by the utilities show that calls to Michigan’s regulated utilities is increasing

  17. History of MPSC Consumer Education Activity History of most common complaints/inquiries to the MPSC

  18. History of MPSC Consumer Education Activity History of most common complaints/inquiries to the MPSC

  19. Outreach Plan • In the spring of 2012, the MPSC Service Quality Division developed a new Outreach Plan for Consumer Education in Michigan. • We are creating new partnerships and looking for new opportunities to meet with utility customers to educate and let them know the MPSC is available to assist them with their utility complaints and inquiries.

  20. Outreach Plan • We have created new promotional material to share with customers • Created and distributed Public Service Ads to all Michigan cable television channels and radio stations

  21. Outreach Plan • Listserv-distribution has grown to over 1200 organizations and individuals • Using Social Media-Facebook, Twitter

  22. DTE Customer Assistance Day With Michigan Senator Hoon-Yung Hopgood

  23. Wayne Co Senior & Youth Fair

  24. Wayne Co Senior & Youth Fair

  25. Wayne Co Senior & Youth Fair

  26. Wayne Co Senior & Youth Fair With Senator Coleman Young

  27. Ionia Free Fair

  28. Ionia Free Fair

  29. Ionia Free Fair

  30. Ionia Free Fair

  31. Ionia Free Fair

  32. UP State Fair

  33. UP State Fair

  34. UP State Fair

  35. Farmers Market

  36. Targeting Consumer Population Groups • Senior Citizens • First Time Utility Customers • Low Income Customers • Military and Veterans • Small Businesses • Non-Profit Groups

  37. Targeted Group-Senior Citizens • Partnering with utilities, non-profits, and other stakeholder groups to disseminate MPSC Consumer Education message • Senior Citizens-all Michigan residents over age 65 • Winter Protections from Shutoff • The MPSC and state law requires all regulated gas and electric companies and electric cooperatives to provide shutoff protection for seniors during the heating season (November 1- March 31) • Basic Message-Have you called your utility to let them know you are a Senior Citizen?

  38. Senior Citizens • Michigan Legislators • Coalition to Keep Michigan Warm • Utilities-Gatekeeper Program • Michigan Office of Services to the Aging • Area Offices on Aging • Senior Events • Visiting or calling all Senior Centers in every county in Michigan

  39. Staff Assignments • In addition to their primary duties, call center staff and regulation officers are assigned to Consumer Education Work Groups and participate in outreach events • Senior Citizen Outreach • Low Income/Non-Profit Outreach • Renters and First Time Customer Outreach • Gas Choice Customer Outreach • Calendar/Evaluation Group • Promotional Material Group • Media Outreach Group

  40. Commissioners • Commissioners attend outreach events, talk about the importance of consumer education in their speeches and do interviews with the media on specific consumer topics

  41. Chairman John Quackenbush

  42. Commissioner Orjiakor Isiogu

More Related