Consumers Energy Introduces Public Safety Power Shut Off Policy to Safeguard Communities

Rhea-AI Summary

Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) announced a new Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) policy on October 28, 2025 to reduce wildfire risk and protect communities during extreme weather or other public-safety threats. The policy, developed with Michigan Public Service Commission guidance and emergency partners, allows targeted, last-resort power shutoffs when conditions pose high wildfire or safety risk. Customers will receive advance alerts 48–24 hours before events, real-time monitoring and restoration updates, and community support during and after incidents. Michigan wildfire data cited include 10,000–12,000 fires annually, ~100 homes lost or damaged per year, and 2,537 fires burning >22,861 acres in the past 12 years. Consumers Energy serves 6.8 million residents across 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Positive

• Proactive risk reduction via PSPS to prevent equipment-caused wildfires
• Advance customer alerts 48–24 hours before shutoffs
• PSPS complements line clearing, inspections, and risk modeling
• Cites statewide wildfire stats: 10,000–12,000 fires/year

Negative

• Planned outages may disrupt service for parts of the 6.8M customer base
• Customers relying on medical devices may require backup power
• PSPS is a last-resort measure that can cause temporary loss of power

Insights

Grid safety and operations analyst

Consumers Energy's PSPS policy adds a safety tool but also creates operational and customer-service trade-offs.

The policy formalizes a process to proactively de-energize lines during high-risk conditions, using advance notifications (typically 48–24 hours), real-time monitoring, coordinated updates with public safety officials, and post-event inspections before restoration. It sits alongside other disclosed measures: prioritized line clearing, enhanced inspections, and wildfire risk modeling as part of the Reliability Roadmap. These facts describe an operational mechanism intended to reduce ignition risk from utility equipment while keeping safety and communication front-of-mind.

Dependencies and risks are explicit in the release: activation occurs only under extreme conditions, but customer disruption is acknowledged and requires effective outreach, crew availability for safe restoration, and logistics for vulnerable customers (medical devices, backup power). The company highlights customer preparation steps and community support during events, which are necessary to reduce harm during outages.

Watch for concrete, monitorable items over the next 6–18 months: the frequency of PSPS activations, metrics on notification timing and restoration speed, documented coordination with the Michigan Public Service Commission and emergency partners, and any measured changes in wildfire starts attributed to utility equipment. These items will show whether the policy achieves its safety goals without undue service impacts.

JACKSON, Mich., Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to strengthen community safety, Consumers Energy announced the launch of its Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) policy, a proactive measure designed to reduce the continued spread of wildfires and protect communities during periods of extreme weather or other public safety threats.

Established following guidance from the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) and in collaboration with emergency management partners, the PSPS policy allows Consumers Energy the ability to proactively shut off power in targeted areas as a last resort and add a critical layer of protection to help prevent utility equipment from contributing to wildfire risks. This policy will only be activated when severe weather or other extreme conditions create a high risk for wildfires or pose a danger to people, property, and critical infrastructure.

"Safety is our top priority, and this new policy is an important tool to help keep our communities and customers safe," said Greg Salisbury, senior vice president and president of electric distribution for Consumers Energy. "We recognize that losing power is disruptive, and we are committed to using this measure only if it is necessary. We are committed to providing timely communication and support to our customers before, during and after a shutoff, if these extremes conditions occur."

How Public Safety Power Shutoffs Work:

• Advance Notifications: Communities and customers will receive alerts through various communications channels typically 48–24 hours before an event.
• Real-Time Monitoring: We will continuously monitor weather, vegetation, and fire conditions in close coordination with public safety officials.
• Regular Updates: We'll provide status updates during the event and notify customers when we begin to restore power.
• Community Support: We will work with you to provide resources and assistance throughout and after the PSPS event.
• Restoration Efforts: Power will be restored as quickly and safely as possible once hazardous conditions have passed and crews have inspected the system.

Michigan experiences an average of 10,000 to 12,000 wildfires each year, most of which are small. However, even small fires can destroy homes and property, with an estimated 100 homes lost or damaged annually. Historically, Michigan has faced significant wildfire challenges with three of the deadliest fires in the nation. In the past 12 years alone, Michigan's Lower Peninsula has experienced 2,537 wildfires, burning more than 22,861 acres.

As changing weather patterns increase the frequency and severity of wildfires, Consumers Energy is investing in wildfire mitigation strategies to strengthen Michigan's electric grid and support our communities as part of the Reliability Roadmap. The PSPS policy is one of several tactics in our wildfire risk mitigation plan, alongside prioritized line clearing in high-risk areas, enhanced inspections and wildfire risk modeling. Together, these efforts improve situational awareness, operational readiness, and vegetation management to reduce wildfire ignition risks.

Consumers Energy encourages all customers to prepare now by updating their contact information, creating an emergency plan, and assembling a safety kit with essentials like flashlights, backup power for medical devices, and bottled water. For more tips and resources, visit Consumers Energy's Safety Tips and Preparation page.

Consumers Energy is Michigan's largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy knows job number one is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to delivering reliable and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to ConsumersEnergy.com.

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SOURCE Consumers Energy

FAQ

What does Consumers Energy's PSPS policy (CMS) announced Oct 28, 2025 do?

It allows targeted, last-resort power shutoffs during extreme wildfire or public-safety risk to prevent utility-equipment ignitions.

How much notice will CMS customers receive before a PSPS event?

Customers and communities will typically receive advance alerts about 48–24 hours before a PSPS event.

Which areas could be affected by Consumers Energy PSPS events (CMS)?

PSPS can be activated in targeted areas across Consumers Energy's service territory in the Lower Peninsula, which serves 6.8 million residents.

What wildfire data did Consumers Energy cite when launching the PSPS policy?

They cited 10,000–12,000 wildfires annually, about 100 homes lost or damaged each year, and 2,537 fires burning >22,861 acres in the past 12 years.

What should Consumers Energy (CMS) customers do to prepare for PSPS events?

Customers should update contact info, create an emergency plan, and assemble a safety kit with flashlights, bottled water, and backup power for medical devices.

Will Consumers Energy restore power after a PSPS event for CMS customers?

Yes; power will be restored as quickly and safely as possible once hazardous conditions pass and crews inspect the system.