Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation Rate Selection Guide
Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation (MGU) is a WEC Energy Group natural gas distribution utility serving roughly 159,000 customers in southern and western Michigan. Regulated by the Michigan Public Service Commission, MGU offers online and mobile billing access but has not implemented Green Button, interval data, or EDI as of 2025.
Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service Rate | Commercial | Customer charge + per-ccf distribution + GCR pass-through (see tariff book) | Typical commercial buildings and small/medium businesses |
| Large Volume Gas Service | Industrial | Higher customer charge + lower per-Mcf distribution + GCR (see tariff book) | High-volume manufacturers and large facilities |
| Gas Transportation Service | Industrial | Customer charge + transportation charge; customer supplies own gas | Large users sourcing competitive gas supply |
Market Overview
Distribution rates are fully regulated by the Michigan Public Service Commission. Through the voluntary Michigan Gas Choice program, customers may select a competitive alternative gas supplier for the commodity portion of service, while MGU remains the regulated distributor and biller.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation Data Access Guide →
Current Rate Schedules
MGU's commercial and industrial rates are set by the MPSC and published in the MGU tariff (rate) book. C&I service is provided under a General Service rate for typical commercial accounts, a Large Volume Gas Service rate for high-volume customers, and Gas Transportation Service for customers arranging their own supply. Bills combine a fixed monthly customer charge, a volumetric distribution charge per ccf/Mcf, and a pass-through Gas Cost Recovery (GCR) commodity factor, plus riders (e.g., Energy Waste Reduction, Main Replacement Program). In the most recent rate case (MPSC Case U-21540, effective Jan 1, 2025), the MPSC approved a $7 million revenue increase — about 60% below MGU's $17.6M request — with a 9.86% authorized return on equity and a residential-class increase of about 0.7%. Exact per-unit C&I charges are published in the tariff book linked below and change with periodic rate cases and monthly GCR factors.
Effective: January 1, 2025 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Service Rate | commercial | Commercial and small/medium business sales-service customers taking firm bundled gas service. | Fixed monthly customer charge + volumetric distribution charge per ccf + pass-through Gas Cost Recovery commodity factor + applicable riders. Per-unit rates published in the MGU tariff book. | — |
| Large Volume Gas Service | industrial | High-volume commercial and industrial customers exceeding the large-volume usage threshold. | Higher fixed monthly customer charge with a lower volumetric distribution rate per Mcf reflecting volume; GCR commodity pass-through; riders apply. Rates in the tariff book. | — |
| Gas Transportation Service (GTS) | industrial | Large C&I customers who procure their own gas supply and pay MGU only for delivery/transportation. | Customer charge + transportation (delivery) charge per unit; no MGU commodity charge since the customer arranges supply. Balancing/telemetry provisions may apply. Tariff book governs. | — |
| Gas Customer Choice (commodity) | commercial | C&I customers electing a competitive alternative gas supplier for the commodity portion. | Competitive commodity price set by the chosen supplier; MGU delivery charges remain regulated and unchanged. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Multi-site commercial portfolio needing usage data for ESG/benchmarking
With no Green Button or API, centralize monthly ccf data manually. Use My Account/EIS exports and consolidate via Third-Party Verification Agreements where a consultant is involved.
MGU provides only monthly PDF/portal data, so a manual aggregation workflow is required for portfolio reporting.
- Designate one internal owner to pull monthly bills from each account
- File Third-Party Verification Agreements early — processing takes 5-10 business days
- Request EIS access for transportation sites to capture supply/operations data
High-volume manufacturer minimizing delivered gas cost
Evaluate Large Volume Gas Service vs. Gas Transportation Service, and pair GTS with a competitive supply contract under Gas Choice.
Above a usage breakpoint the higher fixed charge of large-volume/transportation classes is outweighed by lower per-unit distribution, and self-supply can beat the GCR.
- Model annual Mcf against the tariff-book breakpoints
- Solicit competitive supply bids and benchmark to GCR
- Confirm any telemetry/balancing obligations under GTS
Energy consultant/aggregator onboarding MGU C&I accounts
Plan for manual data acquisition. There is no API or Connect My Data, so build a Third-Party Verification Agreement workflow and route data through the customer.
MGU sends confidential usage data only to the customer, so consultants must rely on customer-forwarded PDFs.
- Standardize the authorization form across clients
- Set recurring monthly delivery expectations with each customer
- Budget for MGU cost-recovery fees on data requests
Historical Rate Trends
MGU distribution rates are reset through periodic MPSC general rate cases; the commodity (GCR) factor adjusts monthly. Recent cases include U-20718, U-21366 (2023), and U-21540 (2024).
January 1, 2025
MPSC Case U-21540 settlement: $7M revenue increase (vs. $17.6M requested), 9.86% authorized ROE, residential class +~0.7%.
+0.7% (residential class)January 1, 2026
Main Replacement Program surcharge and updated Energy Waste Reduction charge take effect, adding incremental amounts to bills.
N/A (rider surcharge)Overall trend: Gradual upward distribution-rate trend driven by infrastructure (main replacement) investment, partly offset by settlements well below requested amounts.
Next expected change: Determined by MGU's next MPSC general rate case filing; Main Replacement Program surcharge runs Jan 1, 2026 through Dec 31, 2027.
Cost Optimization Strategies
Because MGU's commodity is a pass-through and distribution rates are fixed by tariff, C&I cost optimization centers on rate-class selection, supply procurement under Gas Choice, and demand-side efficiency.
Right-size the rate class
For: High-volume C&I
High-volume accounts may qualify for Large Volume Gas Service or Gas Transportation Service, which trade a higher fixed charge for a lower per-unit distribution rate — beneficial above a usage breakpoint.
Shop gas supply via Gas Choice
For: All C&I
Procure the commodity from a competitive alternative supplier and benchmark against MGU's GCR factor to lock in or reduce volatile winter commodity costs.
Use efficiency rebates
For: All C&I
MGU offers business energy-efficiency rebates (Energy Waste Reduction programs) that reduce consumption and the volumetric portion of the bill.
Self-supply via transportation
For: Large industrial
Large users can take Gas Transportation Service and arrange their own gas, paying MGU for delivery only — often advantageous with a strong supply contract.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Michigan offers voluntary natural gas customer choice. C&I customers can shop the gas commodity from participating alternative suppliers via the state's Gas Choice marketplace, while MGU delivers the gas and bills regulated distribution charges. The supply (commodity) charge is the only competitive component.
How to Compare Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation Suppliers
- 01Compare alternative supplier offers on the MI Gas Choice marketplace
- 02Benchmark against MGU's Gas Cost Recovery (GCR) factor, which is passed through at cost
- 03Confirm contract term, price type (fixed vs. variable), and any fees
- 04Enroll with the chosen supplier; MGU continues delivery and consolidated billing
Contract Terms for Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation Supply Agreements
- Fixed or variable commodity pricing
- Term lengths vary by supplier (commonly 6-24 months)
- Early-termination fees may apply
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Michigan Gas Utilities Corporation Rates
- MGU's GCR is a pass-through with no markup — verify a supplier actually beats it
- Variable rates can spike in winter
- Only the commodity is competitive; delivery charges remain regulated and unchanged
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a C&I customer or energy consultant pull MGU usage data via API or Green Button?▾
No. MGU has not implemented Green Button, ESPI, or any public API (confirmed in its May 2025 MPSC Green Button filing, Case U-20959). Commercial usage data is available only as monthly ccf on bills via the My Account portal/app, or through a manual Third-Party Verification Agreement where data is delivered to the customer.
What interval granularity is available for commercial gas accounts?▾
None. MGU uses traditional monthly-read meters, so the finest granularity is the monthly billing total in ccf. There is no 15-minute, hourly, or daily interval gas data, even for large C&I and transportation customers.
How does a third party get authorized to receive a commercial customer's data?▾
The customer completes a Third-Party Verification Agreement naming the consultant/aggregator and submits it to eis@michigangasutilities.com. MGU then sends the requested billing/usage data to the customer (not the third party), who forwards it. Fees may apply and processing takes about 5-10 business days.
Can large commercial and industrial accounts choose their gas supplier?▾
Yes. Through Michigan Gas Choice, C&I customers may buy the gas commodity from a participating alternative supplier while MGU continues regulated delivery. This affects only the supply portion of the bill; MPSC-regulated distribution charges still apply.
What is the Energy Information System (EIS) and who can use it?▾
EIS is MGU's online portal for gas transportation customers and authorized marketers, providing supply/operations data, weather and degree-day information, pricing, and rate book access. Eligible customers request a profile and receive credentials within a few business days.
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