FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   December 21, 2020

Media Contact: Matt Helms 517-284-8300
Customer Assistance: 800-292-9555
Michigan.gov/MPSC
Twitter

With the COVID-19 pandemic surging during the holiday season, the State of Michigan reminds residents that there are resources available for households worried about paying their energy bills.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Public Service Commission and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services join together to emphasize the availability of flexible payment plans and financial assistance for households struggling to pay bills for electricity and home heating now and after the holidays.

“As we continue fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and head into another Michigan winter, it’s crucial that all Michiganders can access the support they need to keep themselves and their families warm and safe,” Governor Whitmer said. “As the weather gets colder, I urge everyone who needs help to reach out for it. It is also crucial that our leaders at the federal level work together to pass a bipartisan relief bill that will provide families the support they need to make it through the winter. We will get through this together.”

“Michigan utilities offer payment plans for customers who’ve lost jobs or income because of the pandemic, and those struggling should contact their utility see what help is available,” MPSC Chair Dan Scripps said. “In addition, federal and state financial assistance for low-income households has been expanded to include those who’ve become newly unemployed or underemployed. Please don’t hesitate to seek help.”

Utility customers in need should contact their utility to ask about flexible payment options and assistance. They may also apply for or find out more about State Emergency Relief and the Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) through MI Bridges at www.michigan.gov/mibridges. If you need help applying, call 211 and ask for a MEAP grantee near you for help. You also can find a local MEAP grantee at the MPSC’s MEAP information page.

“No one should be without heat or electricity — especially during a pandemic,” said MDHHS Director Robert Gordon. “MDHHS wants to make sure that Michiganders experiencing financial difficulties can check out the forms of assistance available right now and reach out for help.”

Additional energy assistance programs and shutoff protections may not relieve utility customers of their responsibility to pay for their energy use, but they will help customers obtain or maintain utility service, especially during winter. They include:

• The Winter Protection Plan protects seniors and low-income customers of MPSC-regulated natural gas and electric utilities. Customers may find relief from electric or natural gas service shutoff and high utility payments between Nov. 1 and March 31.
• The MPSC and state law require all regulated gas and electric companies, and municipal electric utilities, to provide shutoff protection for seniors 65 and older during the heating season, Nov. 1 through March 31. Seniors worried about their energy service should contact their utility.
• Through medical emergency shutoff protection, customers may receive a medical hold preventing service from being disconnected for nonpayment on natural gas and/or electric bills for up to 21 days, with the option to reapply for extensions up to 126 days per household, if a customer or a member of the customer’s household has an existing medical condition that would be aggravated by the lack of utility service.
• Through critical care shutoff protection, a customer or household can receive protection from disconnection or have services restored due to inability to pay if there is an identified critical care customer in the home and interruption of service would be immediately life threatening.
• Active duty military customers or the spouses of those called to full-time active military duty during a time of declared national or state emergency or war may apply for shutoff protection for electric or natural gas service for up to 90 days, with the option to reapply for extensions. Additionally, families of veterans and active duty military personnel can receive emergency financial assistance to pay electric, oil, gas, and other heating fuels. For information, contact the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

In addition, there are a number of ways for Michiganders to lower their home energy costs by reducing energy waste.

• Contact a certified professional and schedule a furnace tune-up so it runs more efficiently. Replace filters regularly because clogged filters make a furnace work harder. If replacing a furnace, look for the ENERGY STAR logo, which indicates a high-efficiency product.
• Discuss with your utility provider programs that can help to manage costs. Ask about or sign up for demand response or time-of-use programs or a budget plan.
• Schedule a home energy assessment to identify ways to cut energy waste. Many utilities across the state are conducting energy assessments virtually and rebates on heating, ventilation and air conditioning, appliances, lighting, insulation and other improvements are available.
• Go to the MPSC’s Be Winterwise page for more information on reducing energy bills, or check out additional recommendations from the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Research options before signing up with a propane provider. Locking in a contract can mean lower prices.
• Tackle home improvements that reduce energy waste. Seal cracks around windows and doors to keep heat from escaping. Check air ducts and seal openings against leaks. Insulate attics and crawl spaces. Install a programmable thermostat, which can save an estimated 10 percent a year on heating and cooling.
• Be sure to shop around if you’re considering purchasing your natural gas through an alternative gas supplier. The MPSC’s CompareMiGas website has information to help you compare rates of suppliers serving in your utility service area, but be sure you understand the terms and conditions before signing a contract.

For information about the MPSC, visit www.michigan.gov/mpsc, sign up for one of its listservs, or follow the Commission on Twitter.

Gatherings remain limited, but high schools, casinos, bowling alleys, theaters can reopen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 18, 2020
Contact: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112

LANSING, MICH.  The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) updated its epidemic order today to allow indoor activities where Michiganders can remain masked, as this has been scientifically shown to slow the virus. This includes in-person learning at high schools and indoor entertainment venues. Casinos, bowling centers and movie theatres will be allowed to reopen with total capacity capped at 100; food and drink concessions closed; and social distancing requirements in place. The new order is effective Monday, Dec. 21 and will last until Friday, Jan. 15.

“These past few weeks, Michiganders across the state stepped up and did their part to slow the spread of COVID-19, and because of our collective hard work, we are now able to begin the steps to carefully lift some of the protocols we have in place,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “I am encouraged by the progress we have made since early November, and will continue to monitor the data closely during and after the holidays. One of the most important things Michiganders can do right now is make a plan to get the safe and effective vaccine as soon as it’s available to you. And as always: mask up, practice safe social distancing, and avoid indoor gatherings where COVID-19 can easily spread from person to person. We will eradicate this virus together.”

“We have made some progress in our fight against this pandemic, and this was a historical week as we started to distribute life-saving vaccines,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. “It is important that everyone continues to do their part. Start planning for when you will get a vaccine when it is available to you, and let’s avoid a surge in cases after the holidays by avoiding gatherings, wearing our masks, and continuing to socially distance.”

Previously, MDHHS had identified stabilization or declines in three metrics as critical for relaxing protocols. Michigan saw improvements across all three following the “pause” implemented in mid-November:

• Hospital capacity dedicated to COVID-19 patients:13-day decline; current capacity is at 17.3% for beds with COVID-19 patients. Peaked at 20.1% on Tuesday, Dec. 1.
• Overall case rates: 27-day decline; currently at 439 cases per million. Peaked at 739 cases per million on Saturday, Nov. 14.
• Positivity rate: 11-day decline; currently at 10.6% positive tests. Recently peaked at 14.3% on Friday, Dec. 4.

“Michiganders should be proud: we have made incredible progress over the last month. But we could easily lose that progress and endanger our hospitals again over the next two weeks,” said MDHHS Director Robert Gordon. “At Thanksgiving, most Michiganders sacrificed and avoided family get-togethers. We need to do the same thing this holiday season. Then we can re-engage more activities sooner and more safely.”

Indoor residential gatherings remain limited to 10 people and two households. MDHHS continues to urge families to avoid indoor gatherings or to pick a single other household to interact with consistent with guidance already released by the department. Families are encouraged to stay home this holiday season to maintain the positive momentum that has developed and to protect loved ones. Families are also encouraged to Mask Up, Mask Right, using new guidance for what masks to wear and how to wear them.

The epidemic order continues to temporarily pause indoor dining in bars and restaurants, but they can continue to offer outdoor dining, carry-out, and delivery. Colleges and universities will be able to have students return to campus for the winter semester, with a voluntary commitment to wait until Jan. 18 to restart in-person courses.

Gyms remain open for individual exercise with strict safety measures in place. Outdoor group fitness and outdoor non-contact sports will again be allowed, including running, downhill and cross-country skiing.

Under this new order, reopened indoor entertainment venues will not be required to collect names and contact information. With the amount of community spread that currently exists across the state and the heavy burden on contact tracing teams to keep up with these cases, it has become too challenging to meaningfully use this data for timely follow up. As case counts fall and contact tracing becomes able to keep up with the volume again, MDHHS expects to reinstate this information-gathering requirement.

As before, employees who work in jobs that cannot be performed from home can continue to go to work, while employees who can work from home should continue to do so. Individualized activities with distancing and face masks are still allowed: retail shopping; public transit; restaurant takeout; personal-care services such as haircuts, by appointment; and individualized exercise at a gym, with extra spacing between machines.

“As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of our employees and patrons remains a top priority,” said Joel Kincaid, vice president of operations with MJR Digital Cinemas. “We are grateful for MDHHS’s partnership and are prepared to reopen with strict safety measures in place. We look forward to working with the governor and her entire administration as we combat this virus together.”

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine.