CMS Energy history

In November 1989, CMS reestablished its common stock dividend.

On the positive side, CMS’s nonutility operations grew in 1990, although utility operations continued to make up the bulk of sales.

These service-based companies were one of the early successes of CMS’ program of expansion, making a respectable $4 million in net income on revenues of $42 million by 1991.

To make matters worse, one of the few investments the new subsidiary was able to make was Oxford Energy Co., a tire burning power plant that went bankrupt in 1992, costing CMS $31 million.

In 1993, CMS Energy finally reached an agreement with the Michigan Public Service Commission that would allow Consumers to recover from its rates 915 of the 1,240 megawatts of energy the company had agreed to buy annually from the Midland partnership.

The opening of the Grands Lacs Market Center in St Clair, Michigan, in 1994 was a important step for CMS as it would provide a major storage and exchange point for buyers and sellers through the United States and Canada.

By 1995 proven reserves had almost doubled to 113 million barrels, and revenue from Nomeco was close to $90 million.

Consumers Power was rebranded Consumers Energy in 1997.

CMS Energy owned the plant until 2006, when it was sold to Entergy.

2007: Consumers Energy files the Balanced Energy Initiative (BEI) with the Michigan Public Service Commission.

2008: The Whiting plant earns a Neighborhood Environmental Partners Program Gold Award from Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality for the fourth consecutive year.

2009: Consumers Energy lays the groundwork for harnessing Michigan’s wind to generate clean, renewable electricity.

It secures easements in Mason and Tuscola counties to build the Lake Winds Energy Park® and the Cross Winds Energy Park™. Lake Winds, a 100-megawatt project, began operating in late 2012.

2013: Consumers Energy announced the purchase of an existing combined cycle 540-megawatt natural gas plant in Jackson, MI. The purchase of an existing plant was chosen over building a new plant to save customers about $500 million.”

In 2014, Consumers Energy opened Cross Winds Energy Park in Michigan's Tuscola County and signed a contract with General Electric to supply 621.79-kilowatt wind turbine engines for the project.