Consumers Energy Company Rate Selection Guide
Consumers Energy is Michigan's combined electric and gas investor-owned utility, serving roughly 1.9 million electric customers across the Lower Peninsula. It has one of the more mature data-access programs of any large utility: a Green Button Connect My Data platform powered by UtilityAPI (NAESB ESPI v3.3 certified) with OAuth 2.0 and JSON/XML APIs. Michigan permits limited electric retail choice (capped at 10% of load).
Consumers Energy Company Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS (Secondary) | Energy-only | Customer charge + per-kWh (no demand charge) | Low-load-factor small commercial sites |
| GSD (Secondary Demand) | Demand + energy | Customer charge + per-kWh + per-kW on 15-min peak | Steady-load commercial/light industrial |
| GP / GPD (Primary) | Primary demand + energy | Per-kWh + per-kW with primary-voltage credit | Large facilities owning transformation, high utilization |
| Business Time-of-Use | TOU + demand | On-/off-peak per-kWh + per-kW demand | Operations that can shift load to nights/weekends |
| GS Gas (GS-1/GS-2) | Tiered distribution + commodity | Customer charge + tiered per-Mcf + GCR | Commercial/industrial firm gas users |
Market Overview
Michigan permits limited electric retail choice (capped at 10% of prior-year load) and Gas Customer Choice, under the Michigan Public Service Commission. Most Consumers Energy customers take bundled service. Customer energy data is shared via Green Button Connect My Data rather than supplier EDI.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Consumers Energy Company Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
Consumers Energy serves Michigan commercial and industrial customers under MPSC Rate Book for Electric Service No. 14 and Gas Rate Book No. 3. C&I electric customers choose among General Service (GS, secondary), General Service Demand (GSD, secondary with demand charge), General Primary (GP) and Large General Primary Demand (GPD) schedules; larger loads (>2,400 volts) take primary high-energy-use plans. Bills separate energy (per-kWh), demand (per-kW based on the highest 15-minute peak), and a fixed customer charge. Time-of-Use options are available. Gas C&I customers take General Service (GS) firm distribution service, tiered by annual Mcf usage, with a separate Gas Cost Recovery commodity charge.
Effective: April 4, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS — General Service (Secondary) | flat / energy-only | Small-to-medium commercial customers taking secondary-voltage service without a separate demand charge. | Fixed monthly customer charge plus a per-kWh energy charge (Power Supply + Distribution). No separate demand charge; suited to lower-load-factor businesses. | Per-kWh energy charge per MPSC Rate Book No. 14 (specific cents/kWh not separately published here)+ None |
| GSD — General Service Demand (Secondary) | demand + energy | Commercial/industrial customers at secondary voltage whose load warrants a demand-based rate. | Fixed customer charge, per-kWh energy charge, plus a per-kW demand charge billed on the highest 15-minute demand in the month. Lower energy rate than GS in exchange for the demand component. | Per-kWh energy plus per-kW demand charge per Rate Book No. 14+ Per-kW charge on maximum 15-minute monthly demand |
| GP — General Primary Service | demand + energy (primary) | Larger C&I customers taking service at primary distribution voltage (generally >2,400 volts). | Customer charge plus per-kWh energy and per-kW demand charges, with a voltage-level discount reflecting customer-owned transformation. Part of the High Energy Use plan family. | Per-kWh energy plus per-kW demand per Rate Book No. 14; primary voltage credit applies+ Per-kW charge on maximum monthly demand |
| GPD — Large General Primary Demand | demand + energy (primary, large) | Large industrial and high-load-factor primary-voltage customers. | Demand-dominated structure with customer charge, per-kWh energy and substantial per-kW demand charges at primary voltage; designed for steady, high-utilization loads. | Per-kWh energy plus per-kW demand per Rate Book No. 14+ Per-kW charge on maximum monthly demand (primary) |
| Business Time-of-Use (C&I option) | TOU + demand | Commercial/industrial customers able to shift usage to off-peak periods. | Time-differentiated per-kWh energy charges (on-peak vs off-peak) layered on a demand-rate framework; rewards night/weekend operation. | On-peak / off-peak per-kWh energy per Rate Book No. 14+ Per-kW demand charge applies |
| GS — General Gas Service (Commercial/Industrial) | tiered firm distribution + commodity | Commercial and industrial firm gas customers; GS-1 (<1,001 Mcf/yr) and GS-2 (1,001–10,000 Mcf/yr). | Fixed customer charge plus per-Mcf distribution charge tiered by annual usage, with a separate Gas Cost Recovery (GCR) commodity charge passing through wholesale gas cost. | Per-Mcf distribution charge per Gas Rate Book No. 3 plus GCR factor+ None (firm distribution) |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Office building
Michigan office on a general service/primary demand schedule.
Demand charges drive the bill; hourly interval data reveals peaks to flatten and TOU shifting opportunities.
- Download hourly data from the Energy Dashboard
- Pre-cool/stagger HVAC to cut peak kW
- Evaluate Peak Time Rewards enrollment
Warehouse / distribution
Low load-factor warehouse with lighting and material-handling loads.
Right-sizing rate schedule and reducing coincident peaks lowers demand charges.
- Confirm correct rate schedule for actual demand
- Add LED + controls to cut peak kW
- Authorize a Green Button analytics vendor
Manufacturing
Industrial process load at primary voltage with high, steady demand and gas use.
Large demand and dual-fuel spend make demand management and DR participation high-value.
- Use hourly interval data for process demand profiling
- Enroll curtailable processes in demand response
- Evaluate Gas Customer Choice for supply
EV charging / fleet depot
Fleet depot with clustered charging creating demand spikes.
Coincident charging spikes drive demand charges; managed charging and TOU shifting reduce cost.
- Schedule charging to off-peak windows
- Use interval data to size on-site storage
- Explore EV and managed-charging programs
Multi-site commercial portfolio
Portfolio energy management and benchmarking across Michigan sites.
Green Button Connect (UtilityAPI) feeds analytics platforms for cross-site optimization and benchmarking.
- Authorize an analytics vendor via Green Button Connect
- Centralize hourly data via the JSON API
- Standardize DR enrollment across sites
Historical Rate Trends
Consumers Energy has filed frequent electric and gas rate cases. The MPSC approved a $92M electric increase in March 2024 and a $153.8M electric increase effective April 4, 2025 (about 2.8% for residential; commercial impacts vary by schedule). A $157.5M gas rate increase was approved in September 2025. In June 2025 the company filed a further ~$436M electric request.
March 1, 2024
MPSC approved a $92 million electric rate increase (well below the $216M requested); ~1.6% typical residential bill impact.
~1.6% residential (commercial varies)April 4, 2025
MPSC approved a $153.8 million electric rate increase effective April 4, 2025; ~2.8% residential.
~2.8% residential (commercial varies)September 30, 2025
MPSC approved a $157.5 million natural gas rate increase to fund pipeline safety/reliability replacements.
Gas distribution increaseOverall trend: Rising — consecutive approved electric and gas increases 2024-2025 with additional cases pending.
Next expected change: Decision on the ~$436M electric rate case filed June 2025 (U-21850 series) expected in 2026, plus ongoing PSCR/GCR cost-recovery adjustments.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because Consumers Energy C&I bills are demand- and time-sensitive, the biggest savings come from controlling the 15-minute peak demand, selecting the correct schedule for the load profile, and shifting flexible load off-peak.
Peak demand management
For: GSD, GP, GPD demand-rate customers
Stagger equipment starts and use load controls to shave the highest 15-minute demand interval that sets the monthly demand charge on GSD/GP/GPD.
Right-size the rate schedule
For: All C&I electric accounts
Use the Rate Plan Advisor to compare GS vs GSD vs TOU; high-load-factor sites usually save on demand rates while low-utilization sites do better on energy-only GS.
Take primary service / own transformation
For: Large C&I able to own/maintain transformers
Qualifying large loads taking GP/GPD at primary voltage receive a voltage-level credit versus secondary service.
Shift load to off-peak (TOU)
For: C&I customers with schedulable load
Move flexible production, charging or HVAC to off-peak hours under the Business Time-of-Use plan.
Demand Response participation
For: Curtailable C&I loads
Enroll in Consumers Energy demand response/curtailment programs for bill credits during peak events.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Consumers Energy Company interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Michigan offers limited electric Customer Choice (capped at 10% of a utility's prior-year load, often a waitlist) plus Gas Customer Choice for residential and business gas customers. Most Consumers Energy customers take bundled service; choice availability for electric is constrained.
How to Compare Consumers Energy Company Suppliers
- 01Confirm electric choice availability (10% cap, possible waitlist) with the MPSC
- 02For gas, review Gas Customer Choice supplier options
- 03Compare supplier offers, term, and price structure
- 04Enroll; Consumers Energy continues delivery
Contract Terms for Consumers Energy Company Supply Agreements
- Electric choice limited to 10% of utility load
- Gas Customer Choice available more broadly
- Fixed or variable supply pricing depending on supplier
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Consumers Energy Company Rates
- Electric choice slots may be waitlisted
- Verify supplier is MPSC-registered
- Compare against bundled standard service before switching
Frequently Asked Questions
How do C&I customers get interval data from Consumers Energy?▾
AMI-metered electric customers can view hourly interval data next-day in the Energy Dashboard and download it as Green Button ESPI XML, or authorize a vendor through Green Button Connect My Data (UtilityAPI, OAuth 2.0) for automated JSON/ESPI feeds. Gas is monthly.
Does Consumers Energy have a data API for vendors?▾
Yes. Through Green Button Connect My Data on UtilityAPI, approved third parties access a JSON API and a Green Button (ESPI) REST API using OAuth 2.0 after registering, testing in sandbox, and receiving Live Mode approval (5-10 business days).
Can we choose our electricity supplier in Michigan?▾
Only partially. Michigan electric Customer Choice is capped at 10% of a utility's prior-year load and is often waitlisted, so most Consumers Energy customers take bundled service. Gas Customer Choice is more broadly available.
What drives a large commercial electric bill on Consumers Energy?▾
Demand charges (kW) on primary/large C&I schedules are typically the largest component. Hourly interval data analysis to flatten peaks, plus Peak Time Rewards / Critical Peak Pricing participation, are the highest-impact levers.
Is Consumers Energy's Green Button standardized?▾
Yes. Its Green Button Connect My Data platform is certified compliant with NAESB REQ.21 ESPI v3.3 (Sept 2022) and DOE DataGuard, providing standardized ESPI XML and JSON access.
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