Glacial Energy Cites Michigan Poll as Further Proof That State is Ready for Electric Service Competition

FARMINGTON HILLS, MI, November 10, 2012

Glacial Energy is pleased to see the results of a new poll in Michigan which shows 72% of the state's voters would support a law allowing customers the ability to choose their electric service from competing suppliers. The poll was released by Energy Choice Now (ECN), the Association of Businesses Advocating Tariff Equity (ABATE), the Customer Choice Coalition (CCC) and Energy Michigan.

The same poll also found that 76% of voters agreed that competition among energy companies is a good way to control costs. The questions were asked as part of a statewide poll taken by Lansing-based pollster EPIC▪MRA with a sample of 600 survey responses.

Michigan's non-competitive energy policy stands in contrast to the democratic concepts America was founded upon. Since 2008 the state has given 90 percent of the market to just two companies - resulting in electric rates that continue to shoot like bottle rockets to the highest spot in the Midwest. Glacial Energy, a growing retail energy supplier, thinks there's a better way and it is called real competition.

In addition to having the highest rates in the region, Michigan's rates have also increased by more than twice the rate of inflation over the last year, according to data from the first quarter of 2012 now available from the U.S. Energy Information Agency.

Overall Michigan rates increased by 6.2 percent from the first quarter of 2011 to the first quarter of 2012 - more than any surrounding states, and far higher than the national average increase of just 0.21 percent.

Glacial Energy believes competition is essential for innovation and economic growth and that it is time to eliminate the cap on competition and allow the state of Michigan to enjoy that growth and the new jobs that lower electric rates would help provide.