Consumers Energy Providing 100,000 Google Nest Thermostats to Michigan Households During Pandemic

Jackson, Mich. Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Google, Uplight Join Partnership to Help Residents Save Energy, Money

Consumers Energy today announced a partnership with Google and Uplight to provide Google Nest thermostats to up to 100,000 households, helping Michigan residents power through the COVID-19 pandemic by saving energy and money.

“Consumers Energy is committed to Michigan’s success, and we’re excited to help so many of our friends and neighbors during these challenging times by putting this powerful technology into their hands at no cost,” said Patti Poppe, Consumers Energy’s president and CEO. “We want to give our customers more control to manage their energy use, helping reduce their bills while protecting the environment.”

This offer is part of Consumers Energy’s Clean Energy Plan, which will eliminate coal and achieve net-zero carbon emissions. Google and Uplight are helping Consumers Energy provide the Google Nest Thermostat E to customers through July 31.

“As we work to protect and support all Michiganders during the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a great tool to help families keep their utility bills down,” said Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “I commend Consumers Energy, Google and Uplight for this innovative partnership, which helps people save money and is another step for our state toward a cleaner energy future.”

Consumers Energy is making energy-saving benefits available to all of its residential customers:

• Electric customers who receive smart thermostats will be enrolled in the Smart Thermostat Program, which shifts energy usage to off-peak hours — while also keeping households comfortable – on a few days each year.
• Natural gas-only customers also can receive the thermostats.

• Households that aren’t eligible for a Google Nest Thermostat E can receive a free Consumers Energy Care Package, which includes four LED bulbs and three night lights, and are enrolled in the Peak Time Rewards program, which provides payments for shifting energy use away from late afternoons in the summer.

Consumers Energy customers can learn more and receive thermostats at ConsumersEnergy.com/freethermostat.

Consumers Energy is actively encouraging customers to shift their energy use away from peak times, typically 2-7 p.m. weekdays in the summer, when demand rises and electricity is more expensive to provide.

“We need Michigan to take action to protect the environment and help us avoid building three new power plants over the next generation,” Poppe said. “By giving away 100,000 thermostats with Google and Uplight, we’re demonstrating that not only can we protect the environment, but we can also help reduce costs for the communities we serve at a time when they need it most.”

Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

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Media Contacts: Brian Wheeler, 517-740-1545, or Roger Morgenstern, 517-499-6320