(The Center Square) – Michigan House Republicans successfully advanced a major overhaul of the state’s energy policies they say will lower utility bills and improve grid reliability.
The Republican-led legislation, House Bills 5710-5711, passed the House this week and now heads to the Democrat-held Senate.
State Rep. Ann Bollin, R-Brighton Township, said Michigan residents are struggling under rising utility bills and this package brings immediate relief.
“Families are telling me they are doing everything right and still falling behind because of higher utility costs,” Bollin explained following the vote. “When electric bills keep climbing month after month, it creates real stress for parents, seniors living on fixed incomes, and hardworking people trying to make ends meet. Michigan families need some relief.”
Bollin said the legislation would help ensure residents can rely on power during extreme weather while reducing costs.
“People should not have to worry about whether they can afford to keep the heat on in the winter or the air conditioning running during dangerous summer temperatures,” Bollin said.
State Rep. Ron Robinson, R-Utica, described the package as a “top-to-bottom reset” of Michigan energy policy.
“We are righting the ship,” Robinson said. “This is a serious, top-to-bottom reset of Michigan’s energy policy that puts affordability and reliability first for families, workers, and job providers.”
The bills would:
• Requires the Michigan Public Service Commission to prioritize affordability and reliability
• Stops funding to outside political activist groups
• Streamlines the process for building and upgrading energy infrastructure
• Increases transparency around ratehikes
These bills come just a couple years after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined fellow Democrats to pass a series of public acts cementing the state’s clean energy strategy.
Among other provisions, the legislation established a new statewide standard requiring utilities to generate 80% of their electricity from clean sources by 2035 and reach 100% clean energy by 2040.
This new legislation is part of a broader House Republican affordability agenda that lawmakers say could save Michigan families roughly $1,400 annually through a combination of utility and property tax relief.
Environmental groups and clean energy advocates sharply criticized the proposals, arguing the bills would eliminate some of the state’s most effective cost-saving energy policies.
Ben Poulson, state government affairs director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, told The Center Square that the reforms would make it harder to expand low-cost renewable energy and energy efficiency programs.
“It’s disappointing that at a time when Michiganders are already struggling with rising energy costs, the House has chosen to pass reforms that make it harder to deploy some of the cheapest and cleanest energy resources available to Michigan families and businesses,” Poulson said. “These proposals move us in the wrong direction at a moment when people are looking for real solutions to lower their bills and strengthen our energy future.”
Poulson pointed to estimates that project billions in future savings if the current energy programs stay in place.
“Repealing clean energy targets will only make matters worse, as research shows it could instead lead to $5.6 billion in higher electricity costs statewide between 2026 and 2050,” Poulson said. “At a time when energy costs are already rising, rolling back some of the most effective tools we have to reduce energy bills is deeply concerning.”
He also argued the legislation would create additional barriers for homeowners seeking to install rooftop solar or other distributed energy systems.
“This legislation also makes it more difficult for individuals to take control of their own energy future,” Poulson said. “By weakening requirements around connecting distributed energy resources like rooftop solar, it creates additional barriers for Michiganders who want to invest in their homes, lower their bills, and contribute to a more resilient energy system.”
Supporters of the legislation reject claims the reforms would raise costs.
David Stevenson, director of energy and environmental policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, told The Center Square that Michigan’s current clean energy mandates are driving up utility bills by pushing utilities toward intermittent power sources.
“The reforms are exactly what Michigan needs to reduce energy costs and ensure reliability by allowing dependable energy plants to operate while removing mandates that favor intermittent, costly energy sources like wind and solar,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson cited a Mackinac Center study projecting utility bills could rise significantly if Michigan continues transitioning away from coal and nuclear power.
“A Mackinac Center study projects that transitioning from dependable resources like coal and nuclear to solar and wind could dramatically increase ratepayers utility bills by more than $2,000 a year in the coming years,” Stevenson said.
He added that renewable energy sources currently provide a relatively small share of Michigan’s electricity generation and argued “dependable resources like coal and nuclear” remain necessary during periods of high demand.
“Wind and solar energy don’t meet Michigan’s energy needs in all seasons,” Stevenson said. “Today, solar power provides under 3% of Michigan’s electricity and wind under 8%, and those limited contributions show why dependable energy is essential. Dependable energy sources remain essential for affordability and reliability.”
Both bills passed with only Republican support in the House.
