Dykema Gossett PLLC Capitol View 201 Townsend Street, Suite 900 Lansing, MI 48933

WWW.DYKEMA.COM

Tel: (517) 374-9100

Richard J. AaronDirect Dial: (517) 374-9198 Direct Fax: (855) 230-2517 Email: RAaron@dykema.com

Cal i fo rn ia | I l l ino is | Mich igan | Minnesota | Texas | Wash ington , D.C.

January 22, 2021

Lisa Felice Executive Secretary Michigan Public Service Commission 7109 West Saginaw Highway, 3rd Floor Lansing MI 48909

Re: Case No. U-20757

Dear Ms. Felice:

Enclosed for filing is Indiana Michigan Power Company’s Low & Moderate Income EWR Report in the above-referenced matter. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Sincerely,

DYKEMA GOSSETT PLLC

Richard J. Aaron

Enclosures

111253.000001

January 22, 2021

Indiana Michigan Power

1/22/2021

I&M Low & Moderate Income EWR Report

2

Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 3

Michigan Pilots ............................................................................................................................................. 3

LED Donations .......................................................................................................................................... 4

PPE Kits ..................................................................................................................................................... 5

Heat Pump Dryer Pilot ............................................................................................................................. 9

Income Qualified Weatherproofing ........................................................................................................... 10

MI Agencies ............................................................................................................................................ 10

MI Virtual Assessments .......................................................................................................................... 10

Low & Moderate Income Multifamily Housing Engagement ............................................................... 11

Country View Apartments & Townhomes, Benton Harbor .............................................................. 11

Mill Pond Apartments – Senior and Disabled Community ............................................................... 11

Blossom Acres Apartments ................................................................................................................ 11

Plaza Manor Senior Apartments ........................................................................................................ 12

Tri-City Village .................................................................................................................................... 12

River Terrace Apartments .................................................................................................................. 12

Eagle's Wood and Trace, Dowagiac ................................................................................................... 12

Residential Lighting Program ..................................................................................................................... 13

Online Energy Checkup .............................................................................................................................. 13

Residential Online Marketplace ................................................................................................................ 14

Marketing & Communications ................................................................................................................... 14

Energy Saving Emails .............................................................................................................................. 14

Virtual Assessments ............................................................................................................................... 15

Energy Smart Newsletter ....................................................................................................................... 16

Home Energy Reports ............................................................................................................................. 16

Electric Ideas Re-Design ......................................................................................................................... 16

Stakeholder Engagement ........................................................................................................................... 16

MI Energy Share ..................................................................................................................................... 18

Credit B Donation ................................................................................................................................... 19

MI Utility Bill Assistance Providers Meeting ......................................................................................... 19

EWR & Low Income Workgroup ............................................................................................................ 20

Coalition to Keep Michigan Warm ......................................................................................................... 20

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Executive Summary The Indiana Michigan Power Residential Income Qualified (IQ) Energy Waste Reduction (EWR) program in 2020 focused on meeting the needs of I&M’s IQ community with services adapted for the continued and ongoing impact of COVID. These efforts included maintaining and refining the existing IQ program and executing on the pilot offerings adopted mid-year, as supported by MPSC EWR Staff and as described in the October 22nd report to the Commission.

Overall, EWR program and pilot continuity ensured services were accessible to all customers despite the restrictions caused by COVID. The IQ program provided expanded services and support for low-income, moderate income (e.g., Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed (ALICE) customers), and those financially impacted by COVID but not traditionally known to be in need of IQ services. This report has been updated from the October report and outlines I&M’s continued efforts to make EWR accessible to all customers but especially those in greatest need.

In late 2020, I&M requested Commission approval in Case No. U-20938 of three residential pilot programs that offer customers different ways to engage in their electric usage. These proposed programs will allow customers to utilize AMI technology as it is deployed and provide additional options for low and moderate income customers to better manage their electric usage and associated costs.

Michigan Pilots There were several new pilots launched in 2020. The LED Donation and Energy Saving Kit with PPE pilots were aimed to provide immediate assistance to low income, moderate income, and those customers impacted directly by COVID. From these pilots, these customer segments experienced the direct benefit of energy savings measures. For I&M, there were pilot benefits from understanding measure-specific

LED Donation Email to Agencies & Social Service Organizations

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installation rates resulting from the pilot distribution channels for the pilot measures and understanding how the expanded group of customers receiving these measures installed and use them to help improve their energy use.

Additionally, I&M began implementation of the Heat Pump Dryer Pilot to test consumer acceptance of this newer technology and its application in customer homes and apartments to build customer awareness and education, along with studying the energy savings and performance benefits of these measures. This pilot’s participant group included IQ customers in a multi-family dwelling setting.

In December 2020, I&M requested approval1 of three residential pilot programs as part of I&M’s Home Energy Management tariff that contain options for IQ customers to engage in their electric usage and help manage costs through load management incentives. The Residential Customer Engagement Demand Response Pilot, where IQ customers are eligible for enrollment, provides for customer self-action to reduce usage during peak periods when events are communicated by I&M to each enrolled customer via text message, email, or other company approved means of communication. The Residential AMI HVAC Direct Load Control Pilot is an air conditioner direct load control pilot that is only available to Income Qualified (IQ) customers and / or rural customers that do not have, or cannot access, broadband internet service. The intent of this pilot is to address barriers to participation for these specific customer segments because AMI technology and infrastructure is available to bilaterally communicate with and control the direct load control switches. Last, the Residential AMI Electric Water Heater Direct Load Control Pilot is directed to the multi-family Income Qualified (IQ) tenant customers that have an electric resistance element hot water heater but do not have the capability or means to offer water heater load control.

LED Donations Indiana Michigan Power began work in early April as COVID began impacting customers and EWR programs. I&M worked to find solutions to provide energy-saving measures to income-qualified customers, ALICE customers and those customers finding themselves unable to work due to illness or unemployment due to COVID. In this effort, I&M facilitated a LED donation request program for food banks and pantries, utility bill payment assistance organizations, and other charitable groups helping income-qualified customers. The intent behind this pilot was to identify distribution channels and partners to quickly and effectively distribute energy-saving materials to our most needy customers. An email was sent to 38 organizations on May 26th

1 Case No. U-20938. This filing is still pending Commission approval as of the date of this report.

LED Donation 4-pack

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with a 41% email open rate. A resend was sent to those who did not open the initial email on June 12th plus newly identified organizations.

In June and July, I&M facilitated the distribution of LEDs to 14 groups, see Table 1 below, that met eligibility requirements. Organizations made requests on electricideas.com for 4-packs of LEDs to distribute to their customers and clients. All LEDs planned for donation in 2020 were distributed by the end of July.

Customers who received the LEDs could find additional resources on the 4-pack sleeve. This included information about how to receive bill assistance, tips for saving energy, and a link to electricideas.com where they could find more programs and ways to save energy. In order to determine customer participation and program satisfaction, I&M’s EM&V evaluator offered $50 Amazon gift cards to be distributed by a random drawing for any customer who responded to the online feedback survey.

Table 1: Michigan LED Donation Recipients Company / Organization Name Total Packs Friends of Decatur Human Services 144 Buchanan Area Senior Center 144 Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency 480 True North 384 MI CHANCE 384 Catholic Community Center 108 Neighbor To Neighbor 108 Helping Hands of Cass County, Inc. 108 Watervliet Free Methodist Church Food Pantry 192 The Salvation Army - Niles Corps 108 Mt. Calvary Baptist church 384 Edwardsburg Food Pantry 48 Harbor Country Mission 480 Redbud Area Ministries 53 TOTAL Packs 3,125

PPE Kits In addition to the LED donation, I&M also facilitated the delivery of Energy Saving Kits with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This pilot had several goals. I&M was interested to

LED Donation 4-Pack Sleeve Design

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determine installation rates on advanced power strips via a kit delivery channel. We also hoped to test and learn from the distribution network for deploying energy-saving kits to income-qualified customers.

Customers will be surveyed by I&M’s third party evaluator in early 2021 on their satisfaction with the kit measures, in addition to the ease in which they received a kit. As of December 31, 2020 the pilot deployed all of the planned 750 kits to the broader set of I&M IQ customers targeted for this pilot.

Kits were distributed to customers through various methods with customers self-identifying (i.e. not formally qualified) as:

-Income Qualified (under 200% FPL)

-Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed (ALICE)

-COVID-19 Impacted (furloughed, unemployed or unable to work)

Through September 2020, I&M primarily shared the online survey link through email distribution to known income qualified customers or through agencies and organizations working with these customer segments. In this pilot, I&M found that many customers in these segments do not have internet or email and some have these resources but are unwilling to provide their contact information as required in the request form or they may not know their I&M account number. As a result, I&M adjusted to a different kit delivery approach in October.

PPE Kit Customer Email

Email Sent to IQ Customers in Arrears

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Through working with Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency (SMCAA), I&M identified community customers residing in a Benton Township Housing Commission multifamily housing property. Partnering with the management staff of Blossom Acres, over 150 kits were distributed to residents who requested a kit from the management office. Additionally, I&M worked with the housing unit staff at Metea Court in

Buchanan to do the same. The offer for kits was sent in the October Newsletter for Metea Court residents. Through the success of kit distribution in these two communities, as shown in Table 2 below, additional low income multifamily communities were identified and remaining kits were distributed in similar fashion.

Social service agencies, food pantries, and utility bill assistance organizations were provided paper request forms for the PPE kits. This delivery channel had limited response. Table 2 provides a summary of I&M’s communication and delivery methods for the PPE kits.

Table 2: Communication/Delivery Methods for PPE Kits Date Method Customers

Engaged Response

May 2020 Email to all IQ Accounts with E-mail 1,927 ≈175 June 2020 Resend of initial 5/26 email All who did not

open 5/26 email

≈75

July 2020 Email to MI IQ Past-Due 663 4 August 2020 Survey link & Paper survey to SMCAA, TrueNorth, MDHHS,

Salvation Army, United Christian Services, Decatur Human Services, Red Bud Area Ministries, United Way of Southwest Michigan, We Care, Inc., Emergency Shelter Services

N/A Ongoing

August 2020 Paper Survey to Metea Ct 100 31 August 2020 Survey link & Paper Survey to Country View Apts 200 Ongoing September 2020

Email to MI IQ Past-Due 725 3

September 2020

Survey link & Paper survey to SMCAA, TrueNorth, MDHHS, Salvation Army, United Christian Services, Decatur Human Services, Red Bud Area Ministries, United Way of Southwest Michigan, We Care, Inc., Emergency Shelter Services

N/A Ongoing

April-Sept 2020

Virtual Assessments 60 ≈50

October 2020

Partnership with Benton Township Housing Commission in Blossom Acres Apartments

366 178

PPE Kit

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November 2020

Partnership with Mill Pond Apartments, Buchanan 48 33

November 2020

Partnership with Country View Apartments, Benton Harbor 198 130

December 2020

Partnership with River Terrace Apartments, Benton Harbor 270 19

December 2020

Partnership with Senior Community at Tri City Apartments, Watervliet 56 41

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Heat Pump Dryer Pilot Another residential pilot I&M deployed in 2020 was the Heat Pump Dryer Pilot. In this pilot, I&M’s goal is to study customer awareness and acceptance of this new technology in addition to the energy savings and performance benefits of these dryers. As of September 30, 2020, 10 customers were enrolled for this pilot and approximately one-half were income qualified.

Customers were identified for participation in this pilot through I&M’s records for those having previously engaged in EWR programs, such as having received a virtual or in-home audit, or residing in a multifamily property that has engaged with I&M in EWR. These customers were known to have conventional electric dryers in their residence and therefore were identified as potential candidates for participation. From this review, these customers were offered the opportunity to enroll in the pilot and educated about the benefits of Heat Pump dryers. I&M’s auditors were made available to discuss the opportunity with interested customers. Those who agreed to participate in I&M’s pilot signed an agreement acknowledging and agreeing to pilot requirements. Requirements included agreeing to allow I&M and its third party evaluators to monitor energy usage and to provide feedback about their experience and satisfaction with the equipment.

7.4 cu ft Whirlpool HP Dryer

Flyer Included in PPE Kit

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As of October 12, 2020, data loggers were installed in all 10 customer homes to get a baseline on the energy usage of their existing dryers. I&M planned to install the heat pump dryers by mid-November. However, due to safety concerns after regional spikes in COVID cases, it was determined that the installations would be postponed. Installations will be re-assessed in early 2021. Thereafter, I&M will begin to interview customers on their opinions and experience with the dryers.

Income Qualified Weatherproofing Engagement with customers through I&M’s traditional Income Qualified Weatherproofing Program (IQW) has been challenging since late March due to the impacts and restrictions from COVID. Out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our employees and customers, Home Weatherproofing and IQW in-home appointments have been paused until it is deemed to be appropriate for employees and customers. I&M immediately made auditors available to all Income Qualified customers through virtual home energy checkups as described below. I&M auditors are available for virtual home energy checkups while it is deemed unsafe, or inappropriate, to perform in-home customer work and I&M is working to expand its virtual audit capabilities so that important IQ weatherproofing services remain available.

MI Agencies Supplemental funding for work completed by state agencies has remained available and will resume as projects resume at the state level. There were a few projects for which funding was released early in 2020 for Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency. When SMCAA resume in-home audits, I&M will resume its support for these services.

MI Virtual Assessments Any IQ customer who requests a home energy checkup was given the opportunity for virtual assessment by an I&M BPI certified auditor while in-home work is paused. If the customer chooses virtual assessment, they received the recommended direct-installation measures dropped off on their doorstep via contactless delivery. If it was determined during the virtual assessment that there was additional opportunity for shell or mechanical work, the customer was added to a waiting list to be assessed after in-home work resumes. Certain major measure work, such as air conditioner tune-ups, was performed if the work was determined to be low-risk and agreeable to the contractor performing the work.

For 2020, 71 IQ customers received virtual assessments, where 18 of those were originally not identified as income-qualified, all-electric customers, but were subsequently identified as eligible for insulation and air sealing when it is deemed safe. Table 3 provides the virtual audit results as of December 31, 2020.

For 2021, virtual assessments have been further refined through the addition of a formal report that includes findings from the virtual audit and through usage reports available to customers on their indianamichiganpower.com account. Virtual audits now include standardized kits for IQ customers that will be shipped directly to homes. Marketing for this offering to all known IQ customers will start mid-January. I&M’s Electric Ideas website contains information on these virtual assessments went live in late December and a bill insert is planned for February 2021.

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Program Virtually Assessed

Direct Install Energy Savings

Shell Measure-Eligible

Mechanical Work-Eligible

MI IQW 71 57,659 18 7

Low & Moderate Income Multifamily Housing Engagement As detailed below, I&M expanded outreach to the Income Eligible multifamily properties identified below and has worked to identify new low and moderate income communities. I&M has additional measures to offer these communities and intends to engage with them to see how we can help make these dwellings more energy efficient to lower tenant energy bills. Any income-eligible community is at least eligible to receive LED light bulbs for their tenants and are engaged to assess the potential for deep savings measures work to improve the comfort of their tenants and reduce their energy bills.

Country View Apartments & Townhomes, Benton Harbor I&M continued to work with Country View Apartments & Townhomes in Benton Harbor. In 2019 the electrically heated apartments in Country View phase I received direct install measures, including LEDs, shower heads, and faucet aerators, refrigerators, and air sealing and insulation work. In 2020, we provided assistance with air conditioner tune-ups for the townhouses and upgraded the blower motors to ECMs on furnaces. Any unit that did not receive LEDs or water saving measures in 2019 was eligible to receive those in 2020. I&M worked with property management and maintenance staff to provide those for installation as the staff was able to complete and/or work with the tenants to install.

Country View has also been provided access to the survey for the Energy Saving Kit with PPE to their tenants. The offline survey was also made available to them to pass along to their tenants to receive these kits.

Mill Pond Apartments – Senior and Disabled Community I&M worked with Mill Pond Apartments in Buchanan during 2020. This community received LEDs for the 50 apartment units housed at this complex. The Mill Ponds management and maintenance staff distributed and installed the bulbs to all units throughout the community. Furthermore, I&M provided the Energy Saving Kits with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Mill Pond staff, resulting in kits being distributed to 35 of the 50 residents.

Blossom Acres Apartments I&M worked with Blossom Acres in Benton Harbor during 2020. Blossom Acres is part of the Benton Township Housing Commission. This community received LEDs to be distributed to the 200 apartment units housed at this complex. Blossom Acres management and maintenance staff distributed and installed the bulbs to all the units throughout the community. Blossom Acres also distributed 182 PPE Kits, and has agreed to participate in the Heat Pump Dryer Pilot.

Table 3: Virtual Audit Results

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Plaza Manor Senior Apartments I&M has engaged with Plaza Manor Senior Apartments in Benton Harbor for distribution of LED bulbs and potential refrigerator replacements of eligible units at this site during 2021. Plaza Manor is also part of the Benton Township Housing Commission’s managed properties.

Tri-City Village I&M supplied Tri-City Village in Watervliet with LED bulbs and PPE Kits during 2020. This community received LEDs for the 56 apartment units housed at this complex. The Tri-City Village management and maintenance staff distributed and installed the bulbs to all units throughout the community. Tri-City also distributed 46 I&M PPE Kits to residents as part of the PPE Kit Pilot.

River Terrace Apartments I&M worked with River Terrace in Benton Harbor during 2020. River Terrace is part of the Benton Township Housing Commission. This community received LEDs for the 270 apartment units housed at this complex. The River Terrace Apartments management and maintenance staff distributed and installed the bulbs to all the units throughout the community. River Terrace also distributed 17 PPE Kits to residents as part of the PPE Kit Pilot Program.

Eagle's Wood and Trace, Dowagiac Eagle’s Wood & Trace is an income-qualified, multi-family community consisting of 89 tenant dwellings. The dwellings are gas heated with central A/C. I&M engaged with a HVAC contractor to complete A/C tune-ups and ECM blower motor retrofits in 2020.

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Residential Lighting Program I&M’s retail lighting program is available to all customers including low income and moderate income customers. The program has maintained operation in 34 retail locations in I&M’s Michigan service territory throughout the pandemic. Recognizing the barriers to customer participation during Michigan stay-at-home orders, I&M launched an online promotion open to all residential customers from mid-June through mid-July, offering A19 and BR30 LEDs in either daylight or soft white color temperatures. The promotion was offered through the following channels:

• I&M’s energy efficiency website, electricideas.com; • 94,339 customers received a specific email

solicitation; and • Via social media during June 2020.

Customer response was positive with customers purchasing an average of 20 LEDs per order. Over 47% of customers who responded to the post-promotion survey noted that they only had 1-5 LEDs in their homes prior to this purchase. Those who had not purchased LEDs before noted that they had not due to cost.

Online Energy Checkup The Online Energy Checkup (OEC) program is available to all I&M Michigan residential customers, including low income and moderate income customers. Customers are eligible to receive an OEC kit once every three years. In early 2020, the program had shifted to a new survey platform on indianamichiganpower.com. I&M worked to improve the customer experience through additional auto-messaging not previously configured. This included sending emails when customers were ineligible to receive a kit due to having received one in the last three years.

Customers who have provided I&M with their e-mail will now receive a shipping confirmation email when their kit has shipped which also includes FedEx tracking information. In June, gas water heater kits were re-added to the program in order to provide more options, especially for customers in need, including low and moderate income customers. The inclusion of gas water heater kits will remain in early 2021 to make as many options possible available to customers.

Online LED Limited Time Offer eBlast

Available OEC Kits

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Residential Online Marketplace As of December 2020, the Residential Online Marketplace launched and has been made available to all customers in Michigan, including low income and moderate income customers. Customers can visit shopimmarketplace.com to find instant rebates on energy saving measures. All customers have access to rebates on LEDs and advanced power strips. Instant rebates can help make energy-saving measures more accessible to low and moderate income customers. Customers may also be eligible for rebates on energy saving water measures and smart thermostats. Participants must be a residential I&M customer with an active account. Validation using the customer’s account number is required upon creating an account in the I&M Marketplace.

Marketing & Communications I&M continues to work to find additional ways to reach our Low and Moderate Income (including ALICE) customers to engage them in I&M’s energy saving programs. Additionally we have endeavored to communicate low and no cost tips for customers to deploy in their own homes in order to reduce their energy bills.

Energy Saving Emails I&M sends emails with specific energy savings tips and advice for low and moderate income customers. The intent of these messages was to connect customers to available resources and provide customers with tips and ideas on low and no cost ways to save money and energy at home.

Energy Tips were sent in summer and winter 2020. IQ customers who had provided their email address received these email messages. Additionally, 8 payment assistance emails were sent between June and December 2020 to customers with arrearage balances to help inform about ways to manage their energy usage.

Winter Energy Tips Email

Marketplace Home Page

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Virtual Assessments I&M’s Income Qualified Weatherization program opened for virtual assessments by our BPI qualified auditor in early 2020. We have proactively tried to reach customers in our footprint who we have not communicated with in the past. Through these efforts, we have delivered water measures and LEDs to over 70 customers as of December 31, 2020. Any customer needing additional work was added to a wait list to have this work completed when it is safe to do so.

Beginning January 1, 2021, I&M has improved the process for providing Income Qualified customers energy saving measures. Kits will now be mailed to the customer’s home and will include measures based on their water heater fuel type. All known IQ customers were emailed with information on the availability of the virtual audit on January 12, 2021. A bill insert will be included in the February bills for all customers and will feature the virtual audits.

Virtual Audit Email Campaign

Virtual Audit February Bill Insert

Virtual Audit Kit Label & Insert for Income Qualified Customers

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Energy Smart Newsletter On the last Thursday of each month, I&M sends an electronic newsletter to all residential customers, including low income and moderate income customers, who have provided their email address to I&M. The newsletter includes low and no cost ways customers can save on their energy bill, and provides online links to EWR programs available to residential customers.

Home Energy Reports Approximately 6,800 I&M Michigan customers are receiving monthly eHERs from I&M with a personalized assessment of the customer’s home energy use, energy saving tips, and other resources available through I&M’s energy efficiency program. In January 2021, income-qualified customers who are recipients of these reports will receive cross-promotional messaging, tips, and ideas refined to topics most relevant to the needs of these customers.

Electric Ideas Re-Design The ElectricIdeas.com webpage has been redesigned and updated to improve our customer’s experience in finding ways to save money and energy at home. The page now includes a dedicated page of low and no cost Energy Saving Tips with over 100 ideas. There are also new energy calculators, activities for kids, bill payment assistance, and more.

Stakeholder Engagement I&M has been actively engaged with community action agencies, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, senior centers, municipalities, and community-based and faith-based organizations. Our primary communication methods have been phone calls, emails and conference calls. Almost 200 emails and over 75 phone calls have been made. We have had contact with over 70 organizations, with regular contact point with around 20. These include:

Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency TrueNorth United Christian Services MDHHS

Energy Smart Newsletter, November Edition

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Salvation Army – Benton Harbor Salvations Army – Niles United Way of Southwest Michigan Red Bud Area Ministries MI Chance Helping Hands of Cass County Harbor Country Mission Emergency Shelter Services We Care, Inc. Decatur Human Services Catholic Community Center Community Action of South Central Michgian Buchanan Area Senior Center City of Three Rivers City of Benton Harbor Mount Calvary Baptist Church - Niles From October through December, we have had regular contact with 15 of the organizations listd below through phone calls, email, and conference calls. From October through December, approximately 60 emails and over 56 phone calls helped I&M better understand how IQ services can be offered through these organizations.

Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency TrueNorth United Christian Services MDHHS Salvation Army – Benton Harbor United Way of Southwest Michigan Red Bud Area Ministries MI Chance Helping Hands of Cass County Emergency Shelter Services We Care, Inc. Decatur Human Services Community Action of South Central Michgian Buchanan Area Senior Center

In July 2020, I&M created a payment assistance and energy efficiency video with Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency to be used on social media. The purpose of the video is to share information on payment assistance and available energy efficiency and weatherization opportunities for qualified Michiganders. From July 2020 through September 25, 2020, the video reached 16,643, had 3,600 full play-throughs and was shared 18 times. Here is a link to the video:

https://www.facebook.com/74722227986/videos/283561362736035

Due to COVID-19, workshops on energy efficiency and low-cost, no-cost energy savings tips have not occurred. We had created on a virtual presentation for the Buchanan Area Senior Center on our Low

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Income Customer and Senior Citizen Discount Tariffs, information on residential energy efficiency programs and opportunities, how to read the I&M bill, and other educational aspects. The presentation will be offered virtually as well as to making it available online at I&M’s energy efficiency website, electricideas.com.

Initially, the first workshop was to occur virtually at the Buchanan Area Senior Center (BASC) in late November 2020. However, due to COVID restrictions, BASC had to cancel. We will pursue this at a later date. I&M will continue to explore other EWR education opportunities through short videos, and plans to share these through social media (Facebook and YouTube).

MI Energy Share In September 2020, I&M made a $25,000 contribution to Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency for Energy Share which hardship assistance grants to help income qualified and ALICE customers with their bills. All applicants for the grant will receive information on energy conservation and weatherization opportunities.

Eligibility requirements:

1) Applicant must be an active Michigan I&M residential customer or in a situation where the account has been closed but the applicant is re-opening the account at the same time and under the same name.

2) Applicant must be between 0 – 200% Federal Poverty Level (FPL). For the period September through December 31st, 2020, the applicant must be between 0 – 250% Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

3) Applicant must be the customer of record or the spouse of the customer of record. 4) Applicant must be currently living at the account address. 5) Applicant must have a minimum past due balance of at least $50, or a disconnect notice or have

been disconnected within 30 days. 6) Applicant must apply for other assistance programs if eligible.

Amount of assistance:

1) Maximum amount is $250 per eligibly applicant except for the period September through December 31, 2020 when the maximum grant amount is $350.

2) Eligible applicants may receive a single benefit per program year based on the amount of their respective total current outstanding electric bill to be determined as follows: Amount of Bill Benefit Amount

$50 - $100 $50 $100 - $500 50% of Bill Over $500 $250

3) For the period September through December 31, 2020, eligible applicants may receive a single benefit per program year based on the amount of their respective total current outstanding electric bill to be determined as follows:

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Amount of Bill Benefit Amount

$50 - $100 $50 $100 - $500 50% of Bill

$500 - $700 50% of the Bill Over $700 $350 Assistance Terms: Grants from this fund:

1) Will be dispersed on a first-come, first-served basis. 2) May be used for reconnect fees and trip charges. 3) May not be used for security deposits. 4) May not be used for returned check fees.

As of January 12, 2021, 75 grants have been given with an average grant amount of $307.49. The grant has a remaining balance of $1,938.57 that will be dispersed in 2021.

Credit B Donation In December 2020, I&M made a donation of $8,330.54 to Southwest Michigan Community Action to address hunger needs in Southwest Michigan. The donation, with approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission, is related to changes in cost associated with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). The TCJA took effect in December 2017 and resulted in the lowering of customer bills to reflect the impact of lower federal corporate income tax rates. After I&M customer bills reflected the impact of lower corporate income tax rates, I&M donated remaining funds to the SWMCAA.

MI Utility Bill Assistance Providers Meeting Starting in August 2020, I&M initiated a monthly Michigan Utility Bill Assistance Providers meeting. Meetings are held on the 4th Friday of each month with representatives of organizations who provide assistance and weatherization in our service territory. Meetings were held on August 28th, September 25th, October 23rd, and December 18th, 2020. The November meeting was cancelled due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

The purpose of these meetings is for I&M to share information on income qualified energy efficiency pilots, disconnection status during COVID-19, education regarding our Low Income Customer and Senior Citizen Discount Tariffs, education on customer assistance programs including extended payment arrangements, Energy Share, and income-qualified energy efficiency program updates. Each organization provides updates on their programs, the needs they are seeing from their clients, as well as sharing any issues, areas of concern and/or opportunities for collaboration with I&M. Groups that have attended are:

• Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency • TrueNorth • United Christian Services • MDHHS • Salvation Army – Benton Harbor

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• United Way of Southwest Michigan • Red Bud Area Ministries • Emergency Shelter Services • We Care, Inc. • United way of Southwest Michigan • Decatur Human Services

EWR & Low Income Workgroup I&M participated in all meetings of this workgroup. Virtual meetings were held: May 1, May 14, May 28, July 9, August 6, October 22, November 12, December 3, 2020, and January 13, 2021. Discussions centered on COVID-19 impacts to utilities and the implementation of EWR programs to this population during the height of the pandemic as well as arrearages and bill impacts to customers. Discussions were also held regarding the roll out of EWR programs and COVID-19 restrictions began to ease. Further, utility members of the workgroup also shared disconnection policies for nonpayment. I&M participated in brainstorming sessions regarding the creation of a PSA and ad campaign by the MPSC for energy efficiency, bill assistance, foreclosure information and all other available resources during COVID-19.

During the October, November, December, and January meetings, discussions centered on statistics regarding Michigan specific residential bills and Energy Burden, energy affordability and consumer protections, COVID-19 impacts to utilities and the implementation of EWR programs, diversity and redlining neighborhoods, disparities in housing and utility burden, and an introduction to Padlet, data, coordination and funding integration into programs and services. On October 22, I&M prepared and delivered a presentation during the Virtual Resource Fair regarding all of the services and programs available to residents for the benefit of other stakeholders and the income qualified residents of Michigan.

Coalition to Keep Michigan Warm I&M has been involved in this group through I&M’s Michigan State Governmental and Environmental Affairs Manager. Our Energy Efficiency Residential Liaison Manager began attending these meetings as well. I&M attended meetings on November 13, 2020, December 11, 2020 and January, 8, 2021. Discussions have centered on State legislative office outreach, updates on LIHEAP and WAP, updates from MDHHS and MPSC, status of arrearages/utility assistance requests, and LIHEAP Action Day.