MPSC to hold public hearing workshop Sept. 3 in Detroit to hear from Michiganders about affordability of energy services

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The Michigan Public Service Commission will hold a public hearing workshop in Detroit on Sept. 3 to discuss energy affordability as the Commission works to reduce the number of households with unsustainable energy burdens.

The Detroit event will be 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3, at Durfee Innovation Society, 2470 Collingwood Street on the city's near west side. The workshop is designed for those interested in learning more about issues impacting utility costs and helping to shape the discussion around how to improve programs that affect utility customers.

At the workshops, participants will hear presentations on the Commission's current affordability and assistance efforts and can share their views through small and large group discussions, enabling participants to provide meaningful feedback on the Commission's actions on affordability and help inform future strategies. The Commission held a similar workshop in Grand Rapids on Aug. 11.

Top issues to be discussed include:

• Factors driving utility rates and how these factors impact utility bills.
• What barriers may prevent customers from accessing programs that can lower energy bills, including utility energy waste reduction (EWR) efforts, weatherization assistance and pre-weatherization programs and how to increase participation.
• Identification of community values, priorities, ideas, and concerns related to energy assistance and affordability.
• What is working well in Michigan's energy assistance space and what needs to be improved.

The MPSC serves as an expert, impartial regulator committed to consumer protection, fairness and transparency. For information about the MPSC, visit www.michigan.gov/mpsc, sign up for its monthly newsletter or other listservs. Follow the MPSC on Facebook, X/Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram.

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