Sec. 6z.

(1) A covered utility shall not discontinue utility service to a geographic area that the covered utility serves without first filing an abandonment application with the commission and obtaining approval from the commission to discontinue that service after notice and a contested case proceeding. The commission shall not approve any abandonment application filed under this section unless the commission determines that there is clear and convincing evidence that all affected customers would have access to affordable, reliable, and safe utility service from an alternative source. A covered utility does not have to file an abandonment application under this section if utility service is being discontinued to a specific parcel or parcels to enable another covered utility to provide service that the other covered utility is legally permitted to provide. As used in this subsection, "covered utility" means any of the following:

(a) A cooperative electric utility subject to the commission's jurisdiction for its service area, distribution performance standards, and quality of service.

(b) A rural gas cooperative.

(c) An electric utility, natural gas utility, or steam utility subject to the commission's rate-making jurisdiction.

(2) Not less than 30 days after an electric utility files a proposal to retire an electric generating plant with a regional transmission organization, the utility shall provide that proposal in its entirety to the commission.

(3) Not less than 60 days before an electric utility applies to the operating reliability subcommittee of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation for approval of a proposal to revise an existing load balancing authority, the electric utility shall do both of the following:

(a) File with the commission a full and complete report of the proposed revision.

(b) Serve a copy of the report required to be filed with the commission under subdivision (a) on all other electric utilities in this state.

History: Add. 2016, Act 341, Eff. Apr. 20, 2017