State audit of Consumers Energy highlights poor grid reliability [Video]

LANSING, Mich. — The results of a state-commissioned audit of Michigan’s two largest utility companies were made public this week, highlighting root causes of electrical grid unreliability and long service restoration times.

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) used an independent third-party to conduct the audit of Consumers Energy Co. and DTE Electric Co.

The over year-long audit process, conducted by The Liberty Consulting Group, focused on the utilities’ infrastructure, programs and processes, poles and wires, substations and records from the companies.

MPSC Commissioner Katherine Peretick said the commission chose to conduct the audit because of the two utility company’s electric service reliability just not being up to par.

“Michiganders really deserve better reliability than what we have right now. So in 2022 we decided to do a …