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MPSC orders Comcast to show cause after failing to respond to tens of thousands of locate tickets
Summary
The Michigan Public Service Commission directed Comcast to show cause in case U-220006 after staff found the company did not respond to more than 35,000 excavation locate tickets from Sept. 10 to Nov. 24, 2025; Comcast must file a response by Feb. 5 and appear at a Feb. 18 prehearing.
Staff for the Michigan Public Service Commission presented an order directing Comcast Corporation to "show cause why it should not be found in violation of Public Act 174 of 2013, the Misdig Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act," the commission heard.
Dave Chisla, a staff member who described the case, said the Gas Safety and Operations Division investigated after receiving multiple complaints and "found the company failed to respond to more than 35,000 tickets between September 10th and November 24th, 2025." Chisla told commissioners that Comcast hired a new locating contractor in September but that the transition appeared "poorly implemented" and the contractor was "woefully understaffed," leading to significant delays and, in many cases, no response.
The order requires Comcast to file a response in the docket by 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 5 and to appear at a prehearing at 9:00 a.m. on Feb. 18. The staff presentation emphasized the safety and service risks from unmarked facilities, noting that "failure to mark utility lines can result in personal injury and damaged underground facilities," and that delayed locates can force excavators to shut down work and suffer financial harms.
Commissioner Peric moved to approve the order and thanked staff for their work, saying the commission was "not confident that the corrective measures being put in place by Comcast are actually fixing the problem." The motion passed unanimously.
The commission's action is procedural: it opens an enforcement track requiring Comcast to explain the missed responses and to provide assurances the company can meet locating timeliness as the 2026 digging season begins. The order does not itself impose penalties; it requires Comcast to respond and to provide evidence that may lead to further enforcement actions after staff review.
Next steps: Comcast's written response and the Feb. 18 prehearing will be the immediate procedural milestones. The commission's staff said it will review Comcast's submissions to determine whether further enforcement, including possible penalties, is warranted.
