Battle Creek, MI. Angry citizens united together after their heating bills rose from $114 for 100 therms to $195 in February of this year. Some of the most vulnerable residents said they lived without heat or had to turn down their heat to the low sixties and still struggled with their bills. The natural gas company, Semco Energy, Inc., when asked who gave them the authority to change the rates before the end of a contract year, stated nobody, they just did it. Because the costs were so high in February and the following months, the social service agencies ran out of resources to help low income customers with their bills. That resulted in families living without heat in their homes.
This May, those natural gas customers of Semco Energy formally organized themselves as the "Battle Creek Natural Gas Customers United, Inc.," in an effort to fight unwarranted gas rate hikes. Their mission is to serve as a consumer advocacy and oversight organization for the Battle Creek natural gas customers. In March, three of those now serving as board members of the new organization attended the hearing on the rates increases in Lansing. Their presence stopped the automatic increases for the moment when it was pointed out that the Michigan Public Service Commission didn't have legal authorization to grant the increases. Presently we are waiting for dates for new hearings addressing out legal concerns. As advocates for the Battle Creek customers we plan on challenging the unauthorized rate increases and demand payment back including shut-off fees.
