Consumers Energy All-Source RFP 2026

Consumers Energy Company, Michigan's largest energy provider serving 1.9 million customers across 68 counties, is soliciting competitive bids for up to 3,000 MW AC of additional nameplate capacity through an all-source energy generation procurement. The solicitation seeks proposals for intermittent clean resources (wind/solar), energy storage, non-intermittent clean energy resources (including nuclear and natural gas with carbon capture), and traditional resources (natural gas and oil-fueled generation) through multiple acquisition structures and geographic markets.

Proposals may be structured as Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with terms of 10-30 years at fixed or escalating rates (up to 2% annual escalation), Build-Transfer Agreements (BTAs), Development Asset Acquisitions (DAAs), or Purchase and Sale Agreements (PSAs). Utility-owned structures are limited to MISO Zone 7 for intermittent and storage resources, while PPA structures are accepted across MISO Zones 1-7 and PJM. Traditional resources are limited to MISO Zone 7. Projects must demonstrate at least 75% site control, meet specific interconnection requirements based on Commercial Operation Date (COD), and comply with detailed technical specifications. Respondents must provide production studies (P50, P75, P90 estimates for solar and wind), financing plans, environmental screening documentation, and itemized interconnection costs.

The procurement is organized into 24 tranches based on resource type and COD windows ranging from existing facilities through June 1, 2030 to May 31, 2040. For utility-owned projects, respondents must identify all applicable permits, licenses, equipment, and contracts to be transferred. All proposals must include federal tax credit documentation, strategy for meeting start-of-construction requirements, and domestic content or energy community bonus credit details where applicable. Respondents are required to complete a comprehensive scorecard detailing social and environmental impact factors, with failure to meet future commitments resulting in $5,000 per MW per point penalty.

Key milestone dates include: RFP issuance on January 8, 2026; pre-bid conference on November 13, 2025; Respondent and Project Qualification Applications due February 25, 2026; Binding Respondent Bidding Affidavits due April 8, 2026; Notices to Proceed issued April 10, 2026; and sealed bid event on April 16, 2026 by 5:00 PM EPT. The solicitation utilizes the Enel X Exchange platform as the official bidding system, with a two-phase qualification process requiring pre-qualification before final bid submission. Provisional Award Security of $1,500/MW AC must be posted within ten business days of provisional award notice. Consumers Energy expects to execute conditional agreements (subject to Michigan Public Service Commission approval) within eight months of the April 16, 2026 deadline.