Consumers Energy plans to scale underground power line conversions to 400 miles annually by 2028, backed by $160 million in projected investments for 2028 and 2029 to improve grid reliability.
Consumers Energy, the principal utility of listed parent CMS Energy, plans to underground 67 miles of lines in 2027 and scale to 400 miles a year by 2028 with projected investments of $160 million in 2028 and 2029, pending regulatory approval. That is modest, largely routine rate-base capex for a utility serving 6.8 million of Michigan's 10 million residents, and the spend is cost-neutral versus overhead rebuilds, so it does not materially change the earnings outlook.
Consumers Energy announced plans to expand its underground power line initiative, targeting 67 miles of conversions in 2027. The utility aims to scale this effort to 400 miles annually by 2028, supported by projected investments of $160 million in 2028 and 2029, pending regulatory approval. The strategy focuses on the 25% of lines responsible for 91% of customer outages.
The announced $160 million investment in each of 2028 and 2029 is pending regulatory approval and is described as costing about the same as rebuilding lines overhead, so it is routine reliability spending rather than a material change to the financial outlook.