CMS Energy's Utility Unit, Consumers Energy, Declares Quarterly Dividends on Preferred Stock

Friday May 18th 2012 11:47:31 AM

JACKSON, Mich., May 18, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --The Board of Directors of Consumers Energy, the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy, has declared regular quarterly dividends on both series of the utility's preferred stock. The following dividends are payable July 1, 2012 to shareholders of record June 4, 2012: $1.04 per share on the $4.16 stock (NYSE: CMS_pa), and $1.125 per share on the $4.50 stock (NYSE: CMS_pb). CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based company that has an electric and natural gas utility, Consumers Energy, as its primary business and also owns and operates independent power generation businesses. For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our web s...

Shareholders Re-elect Ten Incumbents to CMS Energy Board of Directors

Friday May 18th 2012 11:31:30 AM

JACKSON, Mich., May 18, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Ten incumbents were re-elected to CMS Energy's Board of Directors at the company's annual shareholder meeting today. The incumbents re-elected are David W. Joos, non-executive chairman of CMS Energy; John G. Russell, president and chief executive officer of CMS Energy; as well as the following independent directors: Merribel S. Ayres, Jon E. Barfield, Stephen E. Ewing, Richard M. Gabrys, Philip R. Lochner, Jr., Michael T. Monahan, Kenneth L. Way, and John B. Yasinsky. The CMS Energy board members also were elected to the Consumers Energy Board of Directors. Shareholders also approved a proposal ratifying PricewaterhouseCoopers, L...

Consumers Energy Awards More Than $2 Million In Incentives To Help Business Customers Save Energy And Save Money

Wednesday May 16th 2012 04:00:49 PM

JACKSON, Mich., May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy awarded more than $2 million in incentives to commercial and industrial customers in the first quarter to help fund 697 energy efficiency projects that provide long-term savings. These projects are saving the 664 participating customers an estimated $2.4 million in energy costs annually. This represents savings of 20.7 million kWh of electricity and more than 112,020 thousand cubic feet (Mcf) of natural gas annually. That's enough energy to serve about 2,600 residential electric customers and about 1,080 residential natural gas customers for a year.  Business Solutions, the energy efficiency program for commercial and in...

HCL Technologies and Consumers Energy Agreement Brings New Technology Center to Michigan

Friday May 11th 2012 03:01:00 PM

300 New Local Jobs to Be Created with Help from State of Michigan SUNNYVALE, Calif. and JACKSON, Mich., May 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- HCL America, Inc., a wholly owned step-down subsidiary of HCL Technologies Ltd. (HCL), a leading global Information Technology (IT) services provider, and Consumers Energy, the 4th-largest U.S. electric and natural gas company, today announced that the two companies will collaborate on a new "Glocal" Center of Excellence (GCoE) called the Michigan Technology Development Center (MTDC).  The Center will be located at the Commonwealth Commerce Center in downtown Jackson, Michigan. As part of the agreement, HCL expects to hire local technolog...

Consumers Energy And Michigan DNR Announce Plans For Reconstruction Of Foote Dam Tailwater Fishing Area; Two-year Project Will Restrict Access To Site

Friday May 4th 2012 06:01:50 AM

OSCODA, Mich., May 4, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Consumers Energy, in coordination with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, announced plans for reconstruction of the tailwater fishing access at Foote Dam on the Au Sable River. The popular fishing site, which is located at the Consumers Energy renewable energy hydroelectric plant, is operated under a lease agreement by the Michigan DNR. Reconstruction of the site is required due to deterioration along a sheet pile wall that provides the principal shore fishing access at the site. In addition, other dam safety work is part of the reconstruction plans. The access site draws anglers from throughout Michigan's Lower Peninsula,...

Interest In Consumers Energy's Residential Solar Program Remains Strong; Selection Event To Set Go-Forward Projects

Thursday May 3rd 2012 10:32:02 AM

SAGINAW, Mich., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Interest in Consumers Energy's residential customer solar program remains strong. More than 46 applicants so far have responded to the utility's April solicitation for proposals. Applicants from 17 Michigan counties submitted qualified projects, exceeding the electric capacity available in this phase of the utility's solar program. An event to randomly select go-forward residential customer solar projects is scheduled for Thursday, May 10 at 6:00 PM at Curtiss Hall, on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University, 7400 Bay Road, Saginaw. State Representatives Ken Horn (R-Frankenmuth), Jim Stamas (R-Midland) and Charles Brunner (D...

CMS Energy Announces First Quarter Earnings Of $0.25 Per Share, Or $0.37 Per Share On An Adjusted Basis, And Reaffirms Adjusted Earnings Guidance Of $1.52 To $1.55 Per Share

Thursday April 26th 2012 07:32:46 AM

JACKSON, Mich., April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --CMS Energy announced today reported net income of $67 million, or $0.25 per share, for the first quarter of 2012, compared to reported net income of $135 million, or $0.52 per share, for the same quarter of 2011. The 2012 reported net income includes a one-time charge of $36 million, or $0.14 per share, reflecting the write-off of an electric decoupling regulatory asset at the company's Michigan utility, Consumers Energy. The company's first quarter adjusted (non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) net income, which excludes the effects of one-time items, legacy issues associated with previously sold assets, the electric deco...

CMS Energy Announces Executive Changes

Wednesday April 25th 2012 04:32:29 PM

JACKSON, Mich., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Laura Mountcastle, a top financial officer for CMS Energy for nearly two decades, has announced her retirement, effective July 1. Mountcastle joined the company in 1994 and has served as the vice president of investor relations and the treasurer for CMS Energy and its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy, since 1999. Mountcastle worked for more than 10 years in finance, investor relations, and banking before joining CMS Energy. "Laura has been a key leader for CMS Energy since she joined the company. She's widely recognized as one of the top investor relations professionals and one of the leading treasurers in our industry," s...

Consumers Energy Customers Get Predictable Bills With Monthly Budget Plan

Tuesday April 24th 2012 06:02:36 AM

JACKSON, Mich., April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Consumers Energy customers looking for predictable utility bills can benefit by enrolling in the monthly Budget Plan. Under Consumers Energy's Budget Plan, customers take the guesswork out of their monthly bill by paying an equal amount each time. The monthly amount is based on past energy usage, fuel costs and projected temperatures. Nearly 350,000 Consumers Energy customers are enrolled in the Budget Plan, including 5,000 business customers. "The Budget Plan is popular because it offers customers predictable utility bills by paying the same amount each month. Paying a set amount each month allows customers to help manage the...

Michigan Homeowners Can Save Big With New Consumers Energy Home Energy Analysis Program

Monday April 23rd 2012 06:02:40 AM

JACKSON, Mich., April 23, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Consumers Energy is helping customers save money and improve energy efficiency with its new Home Energy Analysis Program. The analysis provides homeowners with a review of their home's essential heating and cooling systems, as well as current energy usage. As part of the home energy checkup, customers also receive free installation of energy-saving upgrades worth an average of $50. These upgrades can help customers save money and reduce energy bills by delivering up to $150 in first-year savings. Upgrades include energy efficient equipment such as compact fluorescent light bulbs, kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators, energy ef...