Consumers MI Large Load Tariff Testimony
Synapse supported Earthjustice and its joint filers with expert witness testimony probing Consumers Energy’s large load tariff proposal (U-21859). Synapse recommended tariff improvements to mitigate potential cost shifting from large load customers and to increase protections for existing consumers. Synapse also recommended that instead of allocating generation costs through traditional cost of service methods, Consumers directly assign data centers such costs, using IRP modeling with and without data center load to isolate incremental costs. In its final order, the MPSC incorporated several of Synapse’s recommendations, such as automatic contract extensions and including the monthly service charge in the exit fee. Partly in response to Synapse’s testimony regarding cost allocation, the MPSC ordered Consumers to file numerous cost allocation and rate design iterations in its next rate case to evaluate large load revenue sufficiency, including one iteration directly assigning transmission, generation, and distribution costs to the individual large load customer.