CMS Energy Corporation reports recurring developments across its Michigan energy business, with Consumers Energy as its principal utility subsidiary. Company news commonly covers earnings results and financial outlooks, common and preferred stock dividends, and updates tied to electric and natural gas service in Michigan.
Consumers Energy updates also include grid reliability, storm response technology, customer energy-efficiency and assistance programs, and regulatory discussions involving utility assets. CMS Energy also reports on its independent power generation businesses and capital-return actions involving listed common stock, preferred securities and depositary shares.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) opened enrollment Oct. 14, 2025 for the CARE program and updated state assistance thresholds to help income‑qualified customers with winter heating bills.
Key points: CARE is a 24‑month fixed monthly payment plan that pays down past due balances; program funding comes from the Low‑Income Energy Assistance Fund (LIEAF) surcharge on retail electric meters; CARE and MEAP eligibility are expanded immediately with new SER thresholds and automatic eligibility for some state assistance recipients.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) is partnering with ERS International to host a weeklong firefighter training from Oct. 13–17, 2025, with two days at Consumers Energy's Marshall Training Center focused on utility emergency response practices.
The program offers hands-on drills on navigating utility equipment, recognizing electrical hazards and fall protection, and aims to strengthen coordination between utilities and first responders to improve safety and response during severe weather and other emergencies.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) has announced key leadership changes effective October 1, 2025, to enhance reliability and service for Michigan customers. Norm Kapala will become vice president of grid operations restoration and work management, while Steve Champine will serve as vice president of gas operations.
Kapala, who joined in 2008, brings extensive experience from both electric and gas operations, including his previous role as vice president of gas operations. Champine, currently senior executive director of gas operations, has over 20 years of industry experience and has been instrumental in advancing the company's net zero methane initiatives.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) has appointed Shannon Thomas as their new Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer, effective September 29, 2025. Thomas brings over 20 years of human resources leadership experience, joining from EnerSys where she served as Chief Human Resources Officer.
Thomas's background includes senior leadership positions at The Chemours Company, Owens Corning, and Danaher, with expertise in global manufacturing, technology, and industrial sectors. She holds a bachelor's degree in human resources management from Marietta College and an MBA from University of Houston – Clear Lake. Consumers Energy serves 6.8 million residents across Michigan's Lower Peninsula as the state's largest energy provider.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) is hosting an "Energizing Equity" event on September 13, 2025, in Kalamazoo to showcase progress in its "Count on Us Kalamazoo!" initiative. The program focuses on helping income-qualified residents reduce energy waste and save money through various customer programs.
Since February, the company has completed over 90 home assessments in three Kalamazoo zip codes, providing services including duct sealing, smart thermostat installations, window film installation, and HVAC tune-ups. The upcoming event at the Douglass Community Association will feature resources, games, food, and giveaways while educating residents about energy-saving programs.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) has signed an agreement to sell its 13 hydroelectric dams along five Michigan rivers to Confluence Hydro, a Hull Street Energy subsidiary. The sale aims to reduce long-term costs for customers while maintaining the dams' operation and community benefits.
The transaction requires regulatory approval and could close in 12-18 months. Under the agreement, Confluence Hydro will enter a 30-year power purchase contract with Consumers Energy and plans to seek renewal of the dams' federal operating licenses expiring in 2034. Current hydro operations employees will be offered positions with Confluence Hydro.
The dams represent less than 1% of Consumers Energy's business. Hull Street Energy brings significant experience, currently operating 47 hydroelectric facilities across North America.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) has issued an urgent warning to Michigan customers about an ongoing scam targeting their service users. The company reports that scammers are making phone calls and sending emails demanding immediate payments while threatening service disconnection. Jim Beechey, the company's vice president of IT and security, emphasized that these criminals are using sophisticated tactics including spoofing company phone numbers and requesting payments through prepaid debit or gift cards.
The utility provider, which serves 6.8 million residents across Michigan's Lower Peninsula, advises customers to verify all payment requests through their official channels and never share credit card information over the phone. Affected customers who have made payments to potential scammers are urged to contact Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) is intensifying its electric service reliability enhancement efforts for the remainder of 2025. The company has implemented extended working hours, including evenings and weekends, to accelerate its maintenance and infrastructure improvement program.
The initiative encompasses upgrading poles, lines, and transformers, conducting proactive tree trimming, replacing aging equipment, and installing smart grid technology. In 2024, the company completed over 1,350 major upgrades and cleared trees along 7,000 miles of electric lines, with plans to exceed these numbers in 2025.
As Michigan's largest energy provider, Consumers Energy serves 6.8 million residents across 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) has announced a $2 million commitment to help qualifying customers with past-due summer energy bills. The assistance will be distributed through The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) and The Salvation Army. Eligible customers must be past due, shut-off, or have a balance on a former address, with income qualifications varying by household size.
This initiative follows a $5 million contribution earlier this year for winter assistance. In 2024, Consumers Energy helped over 137,000 Michiganders obtain nearly $69 million in energy cost assistance. The company serves 6.8 million of Michigan's 10 million residents across all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
Consumers Energy (NYSE:CMS) has significantly expanded its drone technology deployment for power grid inspections, doubling its fleet over the past two years. The company now operates 40 drones with 40 licensed pilots to inspect approximately 400 miles of power lines that were previously inaccessible to traditional helicopter inspections.
The drones, equipped with high-resolution cameras and thermal imaging, enable faster and more cost-effective inspections of challenging terrains, helping identify potential issues before they cause outages. This technology has proven particularly valuable during storm recovery operations and has contributed to reducing customers' average power outage time by over 20 minutes last year.