With nearly 16,000 new housing starts expected this year, more than double the rate from 2009, Consumers Energy is taking steps to keep pace with rising demand for new energy service connections, the company announced today.
“We’ve hired 200 new employees to support the new building sector, which can have a significant impact on the entire state’s economy,” says Mary Palkovich, Consumers Energy’s vice president of energy delivery. “We’ve shortened our turnaround time for new service orders and increased the amount of timely communicating we do with home builders.”
Palkovich says the utility is working closely with the Home Builders Association of Michigan in Farmington Hills, and the two organizations have held five summits this year to let homebuilders know about new improvements.
The developments include hiring engineers to design new energy services as well as job schedulers and field crews to install new gas and electric services. The HBA Michigan will also share data about projected home construction activity with Consumers Energy to help determine what resources are needed to support development in future years.
“Our mutual efforts will facilitate more construction activity and speed the time in which homeowners can move into their new homes,” says Bob Filka, CEO of the Home Builders Association of Michigan. “By speeding utility service to the construction industry, they are helping build up the overall economy.”
The number of new homes (single- and multi-family) built in Michigan has continued to rise since 2009, according to data from Home Builders Association:
2014 (Projected) 15,900
2013 12,915
2012 10,234
2011 7,937
2010 7,755
2009 6,236
2008 8,984
2007 15,195
2006 24,782
2005 38,875
2004 45,881
