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NOTE Michigan Public Service Commission

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Who decides a utility's request to raise

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rates or build a major energy project?

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Michigan's Public Service Commission, called

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the MPSC, makes some of those state

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decisions.

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Its roots reach back to an 1873 railroad

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commission.

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Today it has three commissioners with

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six-year terms ending at different times.

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No more than two can belong to the same

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party.

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The Governor appoints them and chooses the

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chair.

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The Senate can reject an appointment within

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sixty session days.

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Those are days the Senate meets, not

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calendar days.

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If the Senate doesn't reject it in time, the

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appointment stands confirmed.

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A company's request isn't approval.

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Staff review proposals, judges handle

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hearings, and commissioners issue written

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decisions.

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Residents can report a service problem,

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comment on a proposal, or seek a formal role

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in a case.

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These are different ways to be heard.

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A proposal can change as it is reviewed.

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The latest case records show what has

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actually been decided.