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Michigan PSC directs tighter, data-driven distribution planning and resilience reporting
Summary
On April 30 the MPSC approved orders requiring more analytical distribution system plans, a competitive procurement work group for new resources, and staff work to develop data inputs for two resilience metrics (SIRI and REPAIR) to better link investments to outcomes.
The Michigan Public Service Commission on April 30 voted unanimously to require utilities to make distribution system plans more analytical, transparent and outcome-driven, and to move forward on resilience reporting that will underpin future investment decisions.
Commissioners approved an order in case U-20147 addressing the first distribution system plans filed by Alpena Power Company, Northern States Power Company and Upper Peninsula Power Company. Commissioner Berglund commended staff and the utilities for initial filings but pressed for plans that "clearly demonstrate how utilities are making decisions, what options they considered, and what tradeoffs they evaluated," emphasizing affordability and measurable links between investments and customer outcomes.
The Commission also approved a work group in U-20852 to revise competitive procurement guidelines for new energy resources, directing staff to convene stakeholders and file a revised draft of guidelines for public comment.
On resilience, the Commission adopted staff recommendations in U-21388 and directed staff and certain utilities to define data points that will support two emerging metrics: the Sustained Interruption Reduction Index (SIRI) and the Restoration Effectiveness Plus Area Index (REPAIR). Commissioners stressed that undergrounding should not be a default solution and that utilities must evaluate alternatives (system hardening, vegetation management, sectionalizing, new technologies) and demonstrate why a specific capital investment is the best choice for a given location.
The orders adopt a stronger emphasis on project‑level justification, data transparency, and local coordination (including "dig once" opportunities with municipal infrastructure projects). Commissioners said these steps aim to ensure investments are cost‑effective and mindful of rate impacts, particularly for vulnerable customers.
What happens next: staff and utilities will identify the data points that can feed SIRI and REPAIR and file updated reporting templates as directed; the competitive procurement work group will prepare a draft guideline for public comment.
