Consumers Energy Asks For $240 Million Rate Increase – Michigan Says: Hold Up

Utility bills in Michigan have a sneaky way of quietly taking more and more out of your wallet while pretending nothing is happening. Well, get ready, because Consumers Energy is asking for another rate hike.

RELATED: Consumers Energy Planning Second Rate Hike in Two Months

How Much Consumers Energy Wants to Raise Rates

The energy giant has asked state regulators for a casual $240 million a year. If approved, Consumers Energy's gas customers would see nearly a 10% increase, with residential households staring down about 8% more on their bills. And no, this isn't a "once in a generation" request. This comes less than three months after regulators already approved a $157.5 million increase.

Why Dana Nessel Is Intervening

Enter Dana Nessel, Michigan's Attorney General and longtime buzzkill for utility companies trying to bulk up profits on the backs of customers. Nessel announced she will intervene in the case before the Michigan Public Service Commission gets a hold of it.

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What Happens Next in the Approval Process

She pledged in a press release that her office will dig through the filing line by line, looking for costs that don't actually benefit customers. Translation: if something smells like "corporate wish list," it's getting flagged. Nessel pointed out that the last time Consumers Energy asked for a rate increase, regulators slashed nearly 40% of what the company asked for because the math didn't math.

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Meanwhile, other rate hike cases are still pending, including a request from DTE and Consumers Energy's electric customers. The bottom line is that the hike hasn't been approved yet, and Michigan's top consumer watchdog is once again stepping in to slow the money grab. Stay tuned.