JACKSON, Mich — Consumers Energy announced their Summer Rate program will begin on June 1 for all customers.
The Summer Rate will have increased energy prices for "on-peak" times and a lower energy price during "off-peak" times.
On-peak pricing will occur from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and will be about 1.5 times higher than the off-peak rate price.
The off-peak rate price will be during all times outside of the on-peak times, and will be a similar price rate to the non-summer months of October through May.
The Summer Rate will last from June 1 until Sept. 30.
Consumers Energy encourages customers to reduce electricity during on-peak times to reduce their energy bill. They suggest shifting energy use to the mornings, nights and weekends.
The energy company adds that "Most customers will only see a small increase in their monthly bill, without changing when or how they use electricity."
In addition to shifting energy use to off-peak times, Consumers Energy also provides six tips to lower your energy use:
- Swap out your lights for more efficient LEDs to reduce energy costs.
- Clean or replace your furnace filters once a month to improve air conditioning efficiency.
- Install a smart thermostat that can automatically adjust temperatures to reduce energy use.
- Plug electronics into a smart strip that prevents them from using energy when not being used.
- Postpone chores that use energy, like running the dishwasher, until off-peak hours.
- Raise your thermostat between five and eight degrees during on-peak hours to reduce cooling costs.
Learn more about the program and use a rate calculator to estimate your personal rate change here.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
