Consumers Energy began updating electric meters this summer in the Flint, Kalamazoo and Boyne City regions. The Battle Creek, Cadillac, Jackson, Ludington, Saginaw and Tawas regions are scheduled for meter upgrades in 2016, while the Clare, Lansing and Midland areas will get meter upgrades in 2017. As part of the upgrade, Consumers Energy will also install communication modules on natural gas meters of customers who also receive electric service, allowing remote meter reads of gas meters through the electric meters. Notifications of meter upgrades will arrive in the form of large blue information postcards at homes about 30 days before the upgrades. Residents don't need to be home for the replacement, which takes only a few minutes, but they can call to make appointments if they choose. Businesses will be contacted in advance through mailings, calls or outreach meetings, depending on their size and the complexity of their electric service. Households and businesses do have the option to continue using older meter technology and enroll in the manual meter reading program for $9.72 per month and a onetime cost of $69.39 to maintain the systems and infrastructure to support continued use of older meters. "Enhancing service to our customers and controlling our costs are being made possible by using technology," Rochow said. "We are striving to provide the energy our customers need, whenever they need it, in ways we have never been able to before – thanks to technology." Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.6 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com. Check out Consumers Energy on Social Mediahttps://www.facebook.com/consumersenergymichigan https://twitter.com/consumersenergy https://www.youtube.com/user/consumersenergy https://www.flickr.com/photos/consumersenergy/ This news release contains "forward-looking statements." The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause Consumers Energy's results to differ materially. All forward-looking statements should be considered in the context of the risk and other factors detailed from time to time in Consumers Energy's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Media toolkit LEARN MORE: Find out more about the benefits of upgraded meters at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/smartenergy or call 1-888-862-2199. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumers-energy-meter-upgrades-extend-to-the-tip-of-the-mitten-300137979.html
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