Michigan House Republicans Push to Eliminate State’s Clean Energy Standard
House Republicans introduced bills to eliminate Michigan’s 100% clean energy standard, arguing market competition will improve reliability and affordability.
LANSING, MICHIGAN — Michigan House Republicans on Tuesday initiated efforts to dismantle the state’s clean energy requirements, introducing legislation to eliminate the 100% clean energy standard and reduce environmental oversight in utility planning.
House Energy Committee Chair Pauline Wendzel (R-Watervliet) and Rep. Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) presented House Bills 5710 and 5711 during committee testimony, arguing the measures would improve energy reliability and affordability by removing costly mandates.
Bills Target Energy Planning and Standards
Wendzel’s House Bill 5710 would require the Michigan Public Service Commission to consider all energy resources in its integrated resource planning process, which mandates that companies develop long-term strategies for meeting customer energy needs. The legislation also removes requirements for energy companies to consider environmental justice impacts and long-term greenhouse gas emissions forecasts in their integrated rate plans.
“It tells the Public Service Commission, in statute, that reliability and affordability come first,” Wendzel said. “That’s it, plain, clear, simple.”
Outman’s House Bill 5711 eliminates the state’s clean energy standard entirely, which currently requires energy companies to adopt a 100% clean energy portfolio.
Republican Arguments for Market-Based Approach
“This bill does not ban renewable energy,” Outman said. “Wind, solar, nuclear, natural gas, storage and emerging technologies will continue to be built when they make sense for the grid and when they provide the best value to the ratepayers. What this bill does eliminate is the mandate. Every resource should compete based on performance, reliability and cost of ratepayers, not political preferences written in the statute.”
Republicans blamed current cost increases on the state’s clean energy requirements, positioning their legislation as a solution to address energy affordability concerns for Michigan residents.
Democratic Opposition Raises Concerns
Democratic representatives Julie Brixie (D-Okemos) and Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph) opposed the measures, noting that Outman’s bill would lower Michigan’s cap on distributed energy generation to just 1% of total yearly energy sales within a company’s service area. They argued this change would effectively function as a ban on distributed energy projects.
The committee hearing marks the beginning of what could be a shift in Michigan’s energy policy, as Republicans seek to reverse clean energy initiatives implemented in recent years. The bills represent a market-based approach that would allow energy sources to compete without state-mandated preferences for renewable options.
The legislation comes as energy costs and reliability have become key concerns for Michigan residents and businesses. Republicans contend that removing mandates will allow utilities to select the most cost-effective energy sources, while Democrats worry about the environmental and climate implications of eliminating clean energy requirements.
