Interest In Consumers Energy's Residential Solar Program Remains Strong

SAGINAW -- Interest in Consumers Energy's residential customer solar program remains strong.

More than 46 applicants so far have responded to the utility's April solicitation for proposals. Applicants from 17 Michigan counties submitted qualified projects, exceeding the electric capacity available in this phase of the utility's solar program.

An event to randomly select residential customer solar projects for approval is scheduled for Thursday, May 10 at 6 p.m. at Curtiss Hall, on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University, 7400 Bay Road, Saginaw. State Reps. Ken Horn (R-Frankenmuth), Jim Stamas (R-Midland) and Charles Brunner (D-Bay City) are scheduled to participate in the event.

This 90-minute event is open to the public.  Reservations for this event and information about the program are available at www.consumersenergy.com/EARP

Following a brief overview of the program and remarks by invited speakers, qualified proposals will be selected at random to identify residential projects to be awarded contracts for the purchase of solar energy generated over the next 15 years.  Projects to be selected are located in communities across Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

Consumers Energy's program currently has contracts in place to purchase renewable energy from 134 customer-owned solar generators as part of the utility's Renewable Energy Plan.

Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE:  CMS), provides natural gas and electricity to 6.8 million of Michigan's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, visit our Website at www.consumersenergy.com