The House has approved state Rep. Pat Outman’s plan restore reliability and affordability to Michigan utilities by eliminating the costly and extreme renewable energy mandates signed into law by Democrats in 2023.

The representative said that the Democrats at the helm last term prioritized left-wing political goals over the needs of working families and small businesses who are already struggling with rising costs. But those mandates could be a thing of the past with Republicans now controlling the House.

“We hear from constituents every day – they are overwhelmed by rising household costs, and they’ve made it clear they cannot keep absorbing higher bills,” said Outman, R-Six Lakes. “The 2023 energy laws forced unrealistic requirements onto our grid without any serious concern for affordability or reliability. Families are paying more every month, outages still happen, and ratepayers are left wondering where all their money is going.”

House Bill 5711 would eliminate the state’s clean and renewable energy portfolio standards enacted by the 2023 Democrat trifecta – mandates that Outman outspokenly opposed at the time, stating that the mandates boxed utilities into politically driven energy targets that would drive up costs while making Michigan’s electric grid less dependable.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy released a study showing the 2023 energy mandates could cost homeowners more than $2,700 annually in additional electricity costs while increasing the risk of power outages due to added strain on the electrical grid.

The House also approved House Bill 5710, which would require the Michigan Public Service Commission to prioritize reliability and affordability when approving long-term utility energy plans.

Together, the bills would refocus Michigan’s energy policy on dependable power generation, fuel security, and cost effectiveness for ratepayers instead of politically motivated benchmarks.

“Michigan families deserve an energy policy grounded in reality,” Outman said. “Their utility bills should go toward reliable power they can afford, not expensive mandates dreamed up by out-of-touch politicians and special interests.”

The bills now move to be considered by the state Senate.