Muggy Heat, Recovering Economy Push Consumers Energy Electricity Use To Record

JACKSON -- Punishing heat and humidity and the recovering economy pushed customer demand for electricity last Thursday to its highest June level in the 125-year history of Consumers Energy.

Customer demand hit a peak of 8,607 megawatts between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday. That eclipses the previous June record of 8,328 megawatts set on June 26, 2007. The all-time customer peak demand record for the Consumers Energy system is 8,930. That mark was set on July 21, 2011.

John Russell, the utility's president and CEO, said Consumers Energy was well-prepared to meet the record June demand for power from the company's 1.8 million electric customers.

"Our motto is 'Count on Us' and we work hard every day to meet that commitment to our customers," Russell said. "Every year, we make substantial investments in our power plants and electric distribution systems to serve customers and improve the environment. Today, when it counted most, we were ready to meet the challenge of a record monthly demand and serve our customers with the reliable power that they needed to keep their homes and businesses cool and comfortable. "While the weather was one factor in today's customer demand, this record also reflects the state's recovering economy.  We've seen the power demand from our industrial customers increase for three years in a row and that's encouraging sign of economic growth from some of the state's key job providers."

Russell said the Consumers Energy system performed well during today's sweltering heat and the company is ready to continue to serve customers through the next several days of forecast high temperatures.

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 www.consumersenergy.com .