East Grand Rapids families are changing when they run the dishwasher, when they do laundry, and even when they leave the house. The reason is Consumers Energy summer peak pricing, which more than doubles the cost of electricity during weekday afternoons and evenings.

"I make sure that we get out of here," said Kristen Covelle, an Ada Township neighbor who has lived in her home for 19 years. "However, we're Michiganders, we wilt in the heat. When it gets to be over 100, it's like, do I have to pay money here just so that we can, you know, be comfortable inside the house?"

Peak pricing hits from June through September

Under the utility's Summer Rate, customers pay $0.245 per kilowatt-hour during peak hours. Those hours run from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, from June 1 through September 30. During off-peak times, the rate drops to $0.104 per kilowatt-hour.

The rate structure forces families to choose between comfort and cost, especially when extreme heat arrives.

Covelle's husband works from home during peak hours. That means the family needs both air conditioning and electricity for work equipment at the same time.

"I mean, it's, you've got to keep the place cool enough to be able to live in," Covelle said.

The family has adjusted its schedule to avoid the highest charges. They run the dishwasher and do laundry at bedtime.

"We do not run the dishwasher or do the laundry during the middle of the day," Covelle said.

Experts say home upgrades deliver the biggest savings

Local energy auditor Michael McKay with WMGB Home Improvement said homeowners should take a comprehensive approach to reducing energy costs rather than focusing on single solutions.

"Having a game plan, having a laid out solution that not only addresses one area, it addresses everything in the home," McKay said.

McKay identified sealing and insulating the attic as the single biggest improvement homeowners can make. He also recommended setting thermostats to 78 degrees instead of 70 to 72 degrees, noting that removing humidity makes higher temperatures feel more comfortable.

"25 to 30% is typically a chip shot in savings," McKay said when asked about the impact of proper energy retrofits.

For Covelle, those savings translate directly into quality of life.

"It allows us to be able to afford more trips, say in the summer, as opposed to staying home," she said.

A larger rate hike looms

The summer peak pricing arrives as Consumers Energy filed a new request with the Michigan Public Service Commission for a $456 million annual electric rate increase. The utility estimates the proposal would raise a typical home's monthly bill by about $13, or 9 percent, for a household currently paying around $155 per month.

The filing also includes a $25 million surcharge and $52 million over three years for storm restoration costs.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced she will intervene in the case.

"Consumers Energy and DTE keep demanding more and more money, the MPSC continues to reward their incessant demands and the cycle of constant, growing rate hikes are pushing Michigan families and business to the brink," Nessel said.

State records show the MPSC has approved nearly $800 million in electric rate increases for Consumers Energy since 2020. Consumers Energy serves approximately 6 million Michiganders across the state.

The MPSC has until April 2027 to approve or deny the request. No immediate changes to customer bills are expected from the filing.

"We do understand that people are incurring a lot of costs across the sector for groceries, for rents or mortgages, for utilities for this bill or that bill," Consumers Energy spokesperson Megan Kirk said.

Kirk said the company plans to focus spending on infrastructure improvements, including burying power lines, increasing tree trimming, and repairing circuits that experience repeated outages.

"Roughly 75 cents of every customer dollar goes back into infrastructure and system upgrades," Kirk said.