Three states with renewable energy standards similar to those in Michigan’s Proposal 3-Minnesota, Illinois and Colorado-are seeing little or no rise in electricity prices, undermining claims that the ballot measure will sharply increase energy costs.
Still mulling over whether Proposal 3, the renewable energy standard ballot initiative, will skyrocket your electric bill as utility ads claim? Well, here’s a true story: Consumers wants to raise residential electric rates by an average of more than $11 per month, and it has nothing to do with renewables. And, in the year ending in July, DTE Energy raised residential rates by an average of 11 percent-largely due to the rising cost of coal. Now, that’s skyrocketing!
If current negotiations work out, the Wyandotte Municipal Services utility soon will be getting a startling 30 percent of its power from renewable sources-five percentage points more and 13 years earlier than what Michigan utilities will have to achieve if Michigan voters approve Proposal 3 in November.