Results
CMS Energy Corporation
02/10/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/10/2026 10:31
Annual Report for Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2025 (Form 10-K)
Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
This Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations is a combined report of CMS Energy and Consumers.
Executive Overview
CMS Energy is an energy company operating primarily in Michigan. It is the parent holding company of several subsidiaries, including Consumers, an electric and gas utility, and NorthStar Clean Energy, primarily a domestic independent power producer and marketer. Consumers' electric utility operations include the generation, purchase, distribution, and sale of electricity, and Consumers' gas utility operations include the purchase, transmission, storage, distribution, and sale of natural gas. Consumers' customer base consists of a mix of primarily residential, commercial, and diversified industrial customers. NorthStar Clean Energy, through its subsidiaries and equity investments, is engaged in domestic independent power production, including the development and operation of renewable generation, and the marketing of independent power production.
CMS Energy and Consumers manage their businesses by the nature of services each provides. CMS Energy operates principally in three business segments: electric utility; gas utility; and NorthStar Clean Energy, its non-utility operations and investments. Consumers operates principally in two business segments: electric utility and gas utility. CMS Energy's and Consumers' businesses are affected primarily by:
•regulation and regulatory matters
•state and federal legislation
•economic conditions
•load growth
•weather
•energy commodity prices
•interest rates
•their securities' credit ratings
The Triple Bottom Line
CMS Energy's and Consumers' purpose is to provide safe, reliable, affordable, clean, and equitable energy in service of their customers. In support of this purpose, CMS Energy and Consumers couple digital transformation with the "CE Way," a lean operating system designed to improve safety, quality, cost, delivery, and employee morale.
CMS Energy and Consumers measure their progress toward the purpose by considering their impact on the "triple bottom line" of people, planet, and prosperity; this consideration takes into account not only the economic value that CMS Energy and Consumers create for customers and investors, but also their responsibility to social and environmental goals. The triple bottom line balances the interests of employees, customers, suppliers, regulators, creditors, Michigan's residents, the investment community, and other stakeholders, and it reflects the broader societal impacts of CMS Energy's and Consumers' activities.
CMS Energy's Sustainability Report, which is available to the public, describes CMS Energy's and Consumers' progress toward world class performance measured in the areas of people, planet, and prosperity.
People:The people element of the triple bottom line represents CMS Energy's and Consumers' commitment to their employees, their customers, the residents of local communities in which they do business, and other stakeholders.
The safety of co-workers, customers, and the general public is a priority of CMS Energy and Consumers. Accordingly, CMS Energy and Consumers have worked to integrate a set of safety principles into their business operations and culture. These principles include complying with applicable safety, health, and security regulations and implementing programs and processes aimed at continually improving safety and security conditions.
CMS Energy and Consumers also place a high priority on customer value and on providing reliable, affordable, and equitable energy in service of their customers. Consumers' customer-driven investment program is aimed at improving safety and increasing electric and gas reliability.
In the electric rate case it filed with the MPSC in June 2025, Consumers updated its Reliability Roadmap, a five-year strategy to improve Consumers' electric distribution system and the reliability of the grid. The plan proposes spending through 2029 for projects designed to reduce the number and duration of power outages to customers through investment in infrastructure upgrades, vegetation management, and grid
modernization. Consumers has requested rate recovery of the investments needed to achieve the Reliability Roadmap's key objectives in its electric rate cases.
Central to Consumers' commitment to its customers are the initiatives it has undertaken to keep electricity and natural gas affordable, including:
•replacement of coal-fueled generation and PPAs with a cost-efficient and reliable mix of renewable energy, less-costly dispatchable generation sources, and energy waste reduction and demand response programs
•targeted infrastructure investment to reduce maintenance costs and improve reliability and safety
•supply chain optimization
•economic development to increase sales and reduce overall rates
•information and control system efficiencies
•employee and retiree health care cost sharing
•tax planning
•cost-effective financing
•workforce productivity enhancements
While inflationary pressures and tariffs could impact supply chain availability and pricing, CMS Energy and Consumers are taking steps to help mitigate the impact on their ability to provide safe, reliable, affordable, clean, and equitable energy in service of their customers.
Planet:The planet element of the triple bottom line represents CMS Energy's and Consumers' commitment to protect the environment. This commitment extends beyond compliance with various state and federal environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations. Management considers climate change and other environmental risks in strategy development, business planning, and enterprise risk management processes.
CMS Energy and Consumers continue to focus on opportunities to protect the environment and reduce their carbon footprint from owned generation. CMS Energy, including Consumers, has decreased its combined percentage of electric supply (self-generated and purchased) from coal by 24 percentage points since 2015. Additionally, as a result of actions already taken through 2025, preliminary data indicates Consumers has:
•reduced carbon dioxide emissions from owned generation by nearly 30 percent since 2005
•reduced methane emissions by more than 40 percent since 2012
•reduced the volume of water used to generate electricity by nearly 60 percent since 2012
•reduced landfill waste disposal by more than 2 million tons since 1992
•enhanced, restored, or protected more than 13,500 acres of land since 2017
•reduced sulfur dioxide and particulate matter emissions by more than 90 percent since 2005
•reduced NOx emissions by more than 85 percent since 2005
•reduced mercury emissions by more than 90 percent since 2007
Presented in the following illustration are Consumers' reductions in these emissions:
In 2023, Michigan enacted the 2023 Energy Law, which among other things:
•increased the renewable energy standard from 15 percent to 50 percent by 2030 and 60 percent by 2035; renewable energy generated anywhere within MISO can be applied to meeting this standard, with certain limitations
•established a clean energy standard of 80 percent by 2035 and 100 percent by 2040; low- or zero-carbon emitting resources, such as nuclear generation and natural gas generation coupled with carbon capture, qualify as clean energy sources under this standard
•enhanced existing incentives for energy efficiency programs and returns earned on new clean or renewable PPAs
•created a new energy storage standard, requiring electric utilities to file plans by 2029 to help achieve a statewide target of 2,500 MW
•expanded the statutory cap on distributed generation resources to 10 percent of the electric utility's five-year average peak load
Consumers' Electric Supply Plan, its long-term strategy for delivering safe, reliable, affordable, clean, and equitable energy to its customers, is outlined in its integrated resource plan and incorporates Consumers' Renewable Energy Plan. The Electric Supply Plan is Consumers' blueprint for compliance with Michigan's 2023 Energy Law and for advancing sustainability objectives.
To meet these objectives, Consumers is executing a multi-faceted strategy. This strategy involves taking steps to end the use of coal, including the retirement of the D.E. Karn coal-fueled generating units, totaling 515 MW of nameplate capacity, in 2023 and obtaining MPSC approval to retire J.H. Campbell, totaling 1,407 MW of nameplate capacity. The retirement of J.H. Campbell is subject to temporary extensions under emergency orders issued by the U.S. Secretary of Energy. For a more detailed
discussion of the emergency orders, see Consumers Electric Utility Outlook and Uncertainties-J.H. Campbell Emergency Orders and Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters.
To continue providing controllable sources of electricity to customers, Consumers purchased the Covert Generating Station, representing 1,200 MW of nameplate capacity, in 2023 and has solicited additional capacity from controllable sources of electricity to customers.
Consumers' updates to its Renewable Energy Plan include up to 9,000 MW of both purchased and owned solar energy resources and up to 4,000 MW of wind energy resources. Coupled with updates to its integrated resource plan, these actions position Consumers to achieve 60-percent renewable energy by 2035 and 100-percent clean energy by 2040, and will also contribute to Consumers' achievement of the emissions reductions goals discussed below.
Under its Methane Reduction Plan, Consumers has set a goal of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas delivery system by 2030. Consumers plans to reduce methane emissions from its system by about 80 percent from 2012 baseline levels by accelerating the replacement of aging pipe, rehabilitating or retiring outdated infrastructure, and adopting new technologies and practices. The remaining emissions will likely be offset through clean fuel alternatives or nature-based carbon removal pathways. To date, Consumers has reduced methane emissions by more than 40 percent.
Consumers has also set a goal to reduce customer greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2035. Consumers expects to meet this goal through carbon offset measures, renewable natural gas, energy efficiency and demand response programs, and the adoption of cost-effective emerging technologies once proven and commercially available.
Additionally, to advance its environmental stewardship in Michigan and to minimize the impact of future regulations, Consumers set the following goals for the five-year period 2023 through 2027:
•to enhance, restore, or protect 6,500 acres of land through 2027; Consumers surpassed this goal during the three-year period 2023 through 2025 and enhanced, restored, or protected 6,700 acres of land
•to reduce water usage by 1.7 billion gallons through 2027; Consumers had reduced water usage by more than 1.9 billion gallons towards this goal
•to annually divert a minimum of 90 percent of waste from landfills (through waste reduction, recycling, and reuse); during 2025, Consumers' rate of waste diverted from landfills was 93 percent
CMS Energy and Consumers are monitoring numerous legislative, policy, executive, and regulatory initiatives, including those related to regulation and reporting of greenhouse gases, and related litigation. While CMS Energy and Consumers cannot predict the outcome of these matters, which could affect them materially, they intend to continue to move forward with a triple-bottom-line approach that focuses on people, planet, and prosperity.
Prosperity:The prosperity element of the triple bottom line represents CMS Energy's and Consumers' commitment to meeting their financial objectives and providing economic development opportunities and benefits in the communities in which they do business. CMS Energy's and Consumers' financial strength allows them to maintain solid investment-grade credit ratings and thereby reduce funding costs for the benefit of customers and investors, to attract and retain talent, and to reinvest in the communities they serve.
In 2025, CMS Energy's net income available to common stockholders was $1.1 billion, and diluted EPS were $3.53. This compares with net income available to common stockholders of $993 million and diluted EPS of $3.33 in 2024. In 2025, higher gas and electric sales, due primarily to favorable weather, and electric and gas rate increases were offset partially by increased depreciation and property taxes, reflecting higher capital spending, and higher interest charges. A more detailed discussion of the factors affecting CMS Energy's and Consumers' performance can be found in the Results of Operations section that follows this Executive Overview.
Over the next five years, Consumers expects weather-normalized electric deliveries to increase compared to 2025. This outlook reflects strong growth in electric demand, offset partially by the effects of energy waste reduction programs. Weather-normalized gas deliveries are expected to remain stable relative to 2025, reflecting modest growth in gas demand, offset by the effects of energy waste reduction programs.
Performance: Impacting the Triple Bottom Line
CMS Energy and Consumers remain committed to delivering safe, reliable, affordable, clean, and equitable energy in service of their customers and positively impacting the triple bottom line of people, planet, and prosperity. During 2025, CMS Energy and Consumers:
•connected over 140,000 customers with $60 million in energy-bill assistance and helped make over $100 million in statewide aid available for 2026, reinforcing Consumers' commitment to affordability
•began operations at Muskegon Solar Energy Center, a 1,900-acre project generating 250 MW of clean energy to power 40,000 homes and businesses, supporting Michigan's energy needs and advancing the company's long-term clean energy strategy
•reached an agreement with a new data center expected to add more than 1 GW of incremental load growth in our service territory, supporting long-term sales growth and delivering economic benefits for Michigan
•expanded the use of drone technology enabling faster, safer inspections of 400 miles of hard-to-reach power lines and infrastructure resulting in reduced average outage time per customer and improved storm recovery capabilities
•announced the launch of "Green Giving," a program enabling the general public to contribute to renewable energy while offering financial benefits to low-income customers, along with a new Residential Renewable Energy Program, which allows customers of all income levels to subscribe and match their energy usage with renewable energy sources, supporting clean energy initiatives
•moved forward with an aggressive plan to enhance grid reliability for nearly 2 million homes and businesses by clearing trees along 8,000 miles of power lines and creating a modern, stronger, and more resilient power grid through infrastructure upgrades and technology investments
•deployed eight state-of-the-art vehicles that survey the company's nearly 30,000-mile gas distribution system to find methane emissions, enhancing safety and reliability for Consumers' natural gas customers
•experienced success with the underground power line pilot program in early 2025, with pilot areas seeing 100-percent reduction in storm-related outages and improved customer satisfaction
CMS Energy and Consumers will continue to utilize the CE Way to enable them to achieve world class performance and positively impact the triple bottom line. Consumers' investment plan and the regulatory environment in which it operates also drive its ability to impact the triple bottom line.
Investment Plan: Over the next five years, Consumers expects to make significant expenditures on infrastructure upgrades, replacements, and clean generation. While it has a large number of potential investment opportunities that would add customer value, Consumers has prioritized its spending based on
the criteria of enhancing public safety, increasing reliability, maintaining affordability for its customers, and advancing its environmental stewardship. Consumers' investment program, which is subject to approval through general rate case and other MPSC proceedings, is expected to result in annual rate-base growth of more than 8 percent. This rate-base growth, together with cost-control measures, should allow Consumers to maintain affordable customer prices.
Presented in the following illustration are Consumers' planned capital expenditures through 2030 of $24.1 billion:
Of this amount, Consumers plans to spend $8.8 billion on electric generation, which includes solar, wind, and natural gas-fueled generation, as well as energy storage. Consumers also expects to spend $15.3 billion over the next five years primarily to maintain and upgrade its electric distribution systems and gas infrastructure in order to enhance safety and reliability, improve customer satisfaction, reduce energy waste on those systems, and facilitate its clean energy transformation. Electric distribution and other projects comprise $8.6 billion primarily to strengthen circuits and substations, replace poles, and interconnect clean energy resources. The gas infrastructure projects comprise $6.7 billion to sustain deliverability, enhance pipeline integrity and safety, and reduce methane emissions.
Regulation:Regulatory matters are a key aspect of Consumers' business, particularly rate cases and regulatory proceedings before the MPSC, which permit recovery of new investments while helping to ensure that customer rates are fair and affordable. Important regulatory events and developments not already discussed are summarized below.
2024 Electric Rate Case: In March 2025, the MPSC issued an order authorizing an annual rate increase of $176 million, which is inclusive of a $22 million surcharge for the recovery of distribution investments made in 2023 that exceeded the rate amounts authorized in accordance with previous electric rate orders. The approved rate increase is based on a 9.90-percent authorized return on equity. The new rates became effective in April 2025
2025 Electric Rate Case: In June 2025, Consumers filed an application with the MPSC seeking a rate increase of $460 million, made up of two components. First, Consumers requested a $436 million annual rate increase, based on a 10.25-percent authorized return on equity for the projected 12-month period ending April 30, 2027. The filing requested authority to recover costs related to new infrastructure investment primarily in distribution system reliability. Second, Consumers requested approval of a $24 million surcharge for the recovery of distribution investments made during the 12 months ended February 28, 2025 that exceeded the rate amounts authorized in accordance with previous electric rate orders. In October 2025, Consumers revised its requested increase to $447 million, which includes the $24 million surcharge to recover deferred distribution investments. The MPSC must issue a final order in this case before or in April 2026.
2024 Gas Rate Case:In September 2025, the MPSC issued an order authorizing an annual rate increase of $157.5 million, based on a 9.80-percent authorized return on equity. The new rates became effective in November 2025.
2025 Gas Rate Case: In December 2025, Consumers filed an application with the MPSC seeking an annual rate increase of $240 million based on a 10.25-percent authorized return on equity for the projected 12-month period ending October 31, 2027. The MPSC must issue a final order in this case before or in October 2026.
Looking Forward
CMS Energy and Consumers will continue to consider the impact on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and prosperity in their daily operations as well as in their long-term strategic decisions. Consumers will continue to seek fair and timely regulatory treatment that will support its customer-driven investment plan, while pursuing cost-control measures that will allow it to maintain sustainable customer base rates. The CE Way is an important means of realizing CMS Energy's and Consumers' purpose of providing safe, reliable, affordable, clean, and equitable energy in service of their customers.
Results of Operations
CMS Energy Consolidated Results of Operations
| In Millions, Except Per Share Amounts | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years Ended December 31 | 2025 | 2024 | Change | |||||||||||||||||
| Net Income Available to Common Stockholders | $ | 1,061 | $ | 993 | $ | 68 | ||||||||||||||
| Basic Earnings Per Average Common Share | $ | 3.53 | $ | 3.34 | $ | 0.19 | ||||||||||||||
| Diluted Earnings Per Average Common Share | $ | 3.53 | $ | 3.33 | $ | 0.20 | ||||||||||||||
| In Millions | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years Ended December 31 | 2025 | 2024 | Change | |||||||||||||||||
| Electric utility | $ | 719 | $ | 681 | $ | 38 | ||||||||||||||
| Gas utility | 409 | 328 | 81 | |||||||||||||||||
| NorthStar Clean Energy | 71 | 63 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||
| Corporate interest and other | (138) | (79) | (59) | |||||||||||||||||
| Net Income Available to Common Stockholders | $ | 1,061 | $ | 993 | $ | 68 | ||||||||||||||
For a summary of net income available to common stockholders for 2024 versus 2023, as well as detailed changes by reportable segment, see Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Results of Operations, in the Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, filed February 11, 2025.
Presented in the following table is a summary of changes to net income available to common stockholders for 2025 versus 2024:
| In Millions | |||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | 993 | |||||||||||||||
| Reasons for the change | |||||||||||||||||
| Consumers electric utility and gas utility | |||||||||||||||||
| Electric sales | $ | 49 | |||||||||||||||
| Gas sales | 151 | ||||||||||||||||
| Electric rate increase | 210 | ||||||||||||||||
| Gas rate increase, including gain amortization in lieu of rate relief | 71 | ||||||||||||||||
|
Lower coal-fueled generation costs1
|
26 | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher income tax expenses | (87) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher depreciation and amortization | (63) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher interest charges | (43) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher property taxes, reflecting higher capital spending | (29) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher IT expenses, including early-phase ERP implementation costs | (27) | ||||||||||||||||
|
Higher service restoration costs, net of 2025 deferred storm expense2
|
(25) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher vegetation management costs | (25) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher other electric distribution costs | (13) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher other electric supply costs | (21) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher other maintenance and operating expenses | (30) | ||||||||||||||||
| Impairment of project development assets | (15) | ||||||||||||||||
|
Absence of ASP revenue, net of expense, due to sale in 20243
|
(5) | ||||||||||||||||
| Lower other income, net of expenses | (5) | ||||||||||||||||
| $ | 119 | ||||||||||||||||
| NorthStar Clean Energy | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
| Corporate interest and other | (59) | ||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | 1,061 | |||||||||||||||
1See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters-Consumers Electric Utility-J.H. Campbell Emergency Order.
2See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters-Regulatory Assets-Service Restoration Cost Deferral.
3See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters-Regulatory Liabilities-ASP Gain.
Consumers Electric Utility Results of Operations
Presented in the following table are the detailed changes to the electric utility's net income available to common stockholders for 2025 versus 2024:
| In Millions | |||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | 681 | |||||||||||||||
| Reasons for the change | |||||||||||||||||
|
Electric deliveries1and rate increases
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Rate increase, including return on higher renewable capital spending | $ | 210 | |||||||||||||||
| Higher revenue due primarily to higher sales volume | 29 | ||||||||||||||||
| Lower energy waste reduction program revenues | (8) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher other revenues | 20 | ||||||||||||||||
| $ | 251 | ||||||||||||||||
| Maintenance and other operating expenses | |||||||||||||||||
|
Lower coal-fueled generation costs2
|
26 | ||||||||||||||||
| Lower energy waste reduction program costs | 8 | ||||||||||||||||
|
Higher service restoration costs, net of 2025 deferred storm expense3
|
(25) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher vegetation management costs | (25) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher other supply costs | (21) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher IT expenses, including early-phase ERP implementation costs | (19) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher other distribution costs | (13) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher other maintenance and operating expenses | (11) | ||||||||||||||||
| (80) | |||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | |||||||||||||||||
| Increased plant in service, reflecting higher capital spending | (38) | ||||||||||||||||
| General taxes | |||||||||||||||||
| Higher property taxes, reflecting higher capital spending | (16) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other income, net of expenses | (2) | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest charges | (29) | ||||||||||||||||
| Income taxes | |||||||||||||||||
| Higher electric utility pre-tax earnings | (25) | ||||||||||||||||
| Absence of 2024 deferred tax liability reversals | (11) | ||||||||||||||||
|
State deferred tax remeasurement4
|
(8) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher other income taxes | (4) | ||||||||||||||||
| (48) | |||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | 719 | |||||||||||||||
1Deliveries to end-use customers were 37.4 billion kWh in 2025 and 36.8 billion kWh in 2024.
2See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters-Consumers Electric Utility-J.H. Campbell Emergency Order.
3See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters-Regulatory Assets-Service Restoration Cost Deferral.
4See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 13, Income Taxes.
Consumers Gas Utility Results of Operations
Presented in the following table are the detailed changes to the gas utility's net income available to common stockholders for 2025 versus 2024:
| In Millions | |||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | 328 | |||||||||||||||
| Reasons for the change | |||||||||||||||||
|
Gas deliveries1and rate increases
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Rate increase | $ | 60 | |||||||||||||||
| Higher revenue due primarily to the absence of 2024 unfavorable weather | 155 | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher energy waste reduction program revenues | 16 | ||||||||||||||||
|
Absence of ASP business revenue2
|
(19) | ||||||||||||||||
|
ASP gain customer bill credit2
|
(20) | ||||||||||||||||
| Lower other revenues | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
| $ | 189 | ||||||||||||||||
| Maintenance and other operating expenses | |||||||||||||||||
|
Amortization of ASP gain2
|
30 | ||||||||||||||||
|
Absence of 2024 ASP business expense2
|
14 | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher energy waste reduction program costs | (16) | ||||||||||||||||
| Impairment of project development assets | (15) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher IT expenses, including early-phase ERP implementation costs | (8) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher maintenance and other operating expenses | (19) | ||||||||||||||||
| (14) | |||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | |||||||||||||||||
| Increased plant in service, reflecting higher capital spending | (25) | ||||||||||||||||
| General taxes | |||||||||||||||||
| Higher property taxes, reflecting higher capital spending | (13) | ||||||||||||||||
| Other income, net of expenses | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest charges | (14) | ||||||||||||||||
| Income taxes | |||||||||||||||||
| Higher gas utility pre-tax earnings | (31) | ||||||||||||||||
| Absence of 2024 deferred tax liability reversals | (5) | ||||||||||||||||
|
State deferred tax remeasurement3
|
(4) | ||||||||||||||||
| Lower other income taxes | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| (39) | |||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | 409 | |||||||||||||||
1Deliveries to end-use customers were 311 Bcf in 2025 and 268 Bcf in 2024.
2See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters-Regulatory Liabilities-ASP Gain.
3See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 13, Income Taxes.
NorthStar Clean Energy Results of Operations
Presented in the following table are the detailed changes to NorthStar Clean Energy's net income available to common stockholders for 2025 versus 2024:
| In Millions | |||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | 63 | |||||||||||||||
| Reason for the change | |||||||||||||||||
| Higher renewable earnings primarily driven by new project development | $ | 26 | |||||||||||||||
| Lower other expenses | 7 | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher tax expenses | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
| Lower operating earnings, due primarily to planned major outage at DIG | (22) | ||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | 71 | |||||||||||||||
Corporate Interest and Other Results of Operations
Presented in the following table are the detailed changes to corporate interest and other results for 2025 versus 2024:
| In Millions | |||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | (79) | |||||||||||||||
| Reasons for the change | |||||||||||||||||
| Higher interest charges | $ | (61) | |||||||||||||||
|
Lower gains on extinguishment of debt1
|
(38) | ||||||||||||||||
| Higher interest earnings and other | 21 | ||||||||||||||||
| Lower tax expense | 19 | ||||||||||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | (138) | |||||||||||||||
1See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 5, Financings and Capitalization-CMS Energy's Purchase of Consumers' First Mortgage Bonds.
Cash Position, Investing, and Financing
At December 31, 2025, CMS Energy had $615 million of consolidated cash and cash equivalents, which included $106 million of restricted cash and cash equivalents. At December 31, 2025, Consumers had $111 million of consolidated cash and cash equivalents, which included $86 million of restricted cash and cash equivalents.
For specific components of net cash provided by operating activities, net cash used in investing activities, and net cash provided by financing activities for 2024 versus 2023, see Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Cash Position, Investing, and Financing, in the Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, filed February 11, 2025.
Operating Activities
Presented in the following table are specific components of net cash provided by operating activities for 2025 versus 2024:
| In Millions | ||||||||
|
CMS Energy, including Consumers
|
||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | 2,370 | ||||||
| Reasons for the change | ||||||||
| Higher net income | $ | 55 | ||||||
|
Non-cash transactions1
|
133 | |||||||
|
Unfavorable impact of changes in core working capital,2due primarily to fluctuations in gas prices and higher undercollections of PSCR
|
(107) | |||||||
|
Unfavorable impact of changes in other assets and liabilities, due primarily to lower tax-credit sale proceeds and higher service restoration3and renewable energy expenditures
|
(216) | |||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | 2,235 | ||||||
| Consumers | ||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | 2,446 | ||||||
| Reasons for the change | ||||||||
| Higher net income | $ | 120 | ||||||
|
Non-cash transactions1
|
(26) | |||||||
|
Unfavorable impact of changes in core working capital,2due primarily to fluctuations in gas prices and higher undercollections of PSCR
|
(102) | |||||||
|
Unfavorable impact of changes in other assets and liabilities, due primarily to higher income tax payments to CMS Energy and service restoration3 and renewable energy expenditures
|
(200) | |||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | 2,238 | ||||||
1Non-cash transactions comprise depreciation and amortization, changes in deferred income taxes and investment tax credits, bad debt expense, and other non-cash operating activities and reconciling adjustments.
2Core working capital comprises accounts receivable, accrued revenue, inventories, accounts payable, and accrued rate refunds.
3See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters.
Investing Activities
Presented in the following table are specific components of net cash used in investing activities for 2025 versus 2024:
| In Millions | ||||||||
| CMS Energy, including Consumers | ||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | (3,054) | ||||||
| Reasons for the change | ||||||||
| Higher capital expenditures | $ | (806) | ||||||
|
Absence of proceeds from sale of ASP business in 2024
|
(124) | |||||||
| Other investing activities, primarily higher cost to retire property | (54) | |||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | (4,038) | ||||||
| Consumers | ||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | (2,872) | ||||||
| Reasons for the change | ||||||||
| Higher capital expenditures | $ | (472) | ||||||
|
Absence of proceeds from sale of ASP business in 2024
|
(124) | |||||||
| Other investing activities, primarily higher cost to retire property | (67) | |||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | (3,535) | ||||||
Financing Activities
Presented in the following table are specific components of net cash provided by financing activities for 2025 versus 2024:
| In Millions | ||||||||
|
CMS Energy, including Consumers
|
||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | 614 | ||||||
| Reasons for the change | ||||||||
| Higher debt issuances | $ | 1,647 | ||||||
| Higher debt retirements | (198) | |||||||
| Higher repayments of notes payable | (37) | |||||||
| Higher issuances of common stock | 239 | |||||||
| Higher payments of dividends on common stock | (37) | |||||||
| Proceeds from sale of membership interests in VIEs | 59 | |||||||
| Lower contributions from noncontrolling interest | (1) | |||||||
| Higher distributions to noncontrolling interest | (2) | |||||||
|
Other financing activities, primarily higher debt issuance costs
|
(44) | |||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | 2,240 | ||||||
| Consumers | ||||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2024 | $ | 489 | ||||||
| Reasons for the change | ||||||||
| Lower debt issuances | $ | (174) | ||||||
| Lower debt retirements | 274 | |||||||
| Higher repayments of notes payable | (37) | |||||||
| Borrowings from CMS Energy | 340 | |||||||
| Higher stockholder contribution from CMS Energy | 185 | |||||||
| Absence of return of stockholder contribution to CMS Energy in 2024 | 320 | |||||||
| Higher payments of dividends on common stock | (103) | |||||||
| Other financing activities | (5) | |||||||
| Year Ended December 31, 2025 | $ | 1,289 | ||||||
Capital Resources and Liquidity
CMS Energy and Consumers expect to have sufficient liquidity to fund their present and future commitments. CMS Energy uses dividends and tax-sharing payments from its subsidiaries and external financing and capital transactions to invest in its utility and non-utility businesses, retire debt, pay dividends, and fund its other obligations. The ability of CMS Energy's subsidiaries, including Consumers, to pay dividends to CMS Energy depends upon each subsidiary's revenues, earnings, cash needs, and other factors. In addition, Consumers' ability to pay dividends is restricted by certain terms included in its articles of incorporation and potentially by FERC requirements and provisions under the Federal Power Act and the Natural Gas Act. For additional details on Consumers' dividend restrictions, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 5, Financings and Capitalization-Dividend Restrictions. During the year ended December 31, 2025, Consumers paid $898 million in dividends on its common stock to CMS Energy.
Consumers uses cash flows generated from operations, external financing transactions, and the monetization of tax credits, along with stockholder contributions from CMS Energy, to fund capital expenditures, retire debt, pay dividends, and fund its other obligations. Consumers also uses these sources of funding to contribute to its employee benefit plans.
Financing and Capital Resources:CMS Energy and Consumers rely on the capital markets to fund their robust capital plan. Barring any sustained market dislocations or disruptions, CMS Energy and Consumers expect to continue to have ready access to the financial and capital markets and will continue to explore possibilities to take advantage of market opportunities as they arise with respect to future funding needs. If access to these markets were to diminish or otherwise become restricted, CMS Energy and Consumers would implement contingency plans to address debt maturities, which could include reduced capital spending.
In 2023, CMS Energy entered into an equity offering program under which it may sell shares of its common stock having an aggregate sales price of up to $1 billion in privately negotiated transactions, in "at the market" offerings, or through forward sales transactions. During the year ended December 31, 2025, CMS Energy settled forward sale contracts issued under this program, resulting in net proceeds of $497 million. Following these settlements,CMS Energy has $8 million in outstanding forward contracts under the program, maturing November 30, 2026.
CMS Energy, NorthStar Clean Energy, and Consumers use revolving credit facilities for general working capital purposes and to issue letters of credit. At December 31, 2025, CMS Energy had $715 million of its revolving credit facility available, NorthStar Clean Energy had $5 million available under its revolving credit facility, and Consumers had $1.4 billion available under its revolving credit facilities.
An additional source of liquidity is Consumers' commercial paper program, which allows Consumers to issue, in one or more placements, up to $500 million in aggregate principal amount of commercial paper notes with maturities of up to 365 days at market interest rates. These issuances are supported by Consumers' revolving credit facilities. While the amount of outstanding commercial paper does not reduce the available capacity of the revolving credit facilities, Consumers does not intend to issue commercial paper in an amount exceeding the available capacity of the facilities. At December 31, 2025, there were no commercial paper notes outstanding under this program.
For additional details about these programs and facilities, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 5, Financings and Capitalization.
Certain of CMS Energy's, NorthStar Clean Energy's, and Consumers' credit agreements contain covenants that require each entity to maintain certain financial ratios, as defined therein. At December 31, 2025, no default had occurred with respect to any of the financial covenants contained in these credit agreements. Each of the entities was in compliance with the covenants contained in their respective credit agreements as of December 31, 2025, as presented in the following table:
| Limit | Actual | |||||||
| CMS Energy, parent only | ||||||||
|
Debt to capital1
|
<</span>0.70 to 1.0
|
0.56 to 1.0 | ||||||
| NorthStar Clean Energy | ||||||||
|
Debt to capital2
|
<</span>0.50 to 1.0
|
0.14 to 1.0 | ||||||
|
Debt service coverage2
|
>2.00 to 1.0
|
5.03 to 1.0 | ||||||
|
Pledged equity interests to aggregate commitment2,3
|
>2.00 to 1.0
|
2.06 to 1.0 | ||||||
| Consumers | ||||||||
|
Debt to capital4
|
<</span>0.65 to 1.0
|
0.51 to 1.0 | ||||||
1Applies to CMS Energy's revolving credit agreement and letter of credit reimbursement agreement.
2Applies to NorthStar Clean Energy's revolving credit agreement.
3The aggregate book value of the pledged equity interests under the revolving credit agreement was at least two-times the aggregate commitment under the revolving credit agreement at December 31, 2025.
4Applies to Consumers' revolving credit agreements and certain letter of credit reimbursement agreements.
Material Cash Requirements: Based on the present investment plan, during 2026, CMS Energy, including Consumers, projects capital expenditures of $4.4 billion and Consumers projects capital expenditures of $4.1 billion. CMS Energy's 2026 contractual commitments comprise $2.4 billion of purchase obligations and $1.8 billion of principal and interest payments on long-term debt. Consumers' 2026 contractual commitments comprise $2.1 billion of purchase obligations and $1.1 billion of principal and interest payments on long-term debt.
Components of CMS Energy's and Consumers' cash management plan include controlling operating expenses and capital expenditures and evaluating market conditions for financing and refinancing opportunities. CMS Energy's and Consumers' present level of cash and expected cash flows from operating activities, together with access to sources of liquidity, are anticipated to be sufficient to fund contractual obligations and other material cash requirements for 2026 and beyond.
Capital Expenditures:Over the next five years, CMS Energy and Consumers expect to make substantial capital investments. The companies may revise their forecast of capital expenditures periodically due to a number of factors, including environmental regulations, MPSC approval or disapproval, business opportunities, market volatility, economic trends, and the ability to access capital. Presented in the
following table are CMS Energy's and Consumers' estimated capital expenditures, including lease commitments, for 2026 through 2030:
| In Billions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CMS Energy, including Consumers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Consumers | $ | 4.1 | $ | 5.4 | $ | 5.7 | $ | 5.0 | $ | 3.9 | $ | 24.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NorthStar Clean Energy | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total CMS Energy | $ | 4.4 | $ | 5.8 | $ | 6.2 | $ | 5.4 | $ | 4.0 | $ | 25.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Consumers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electric utility operations | $ | 3.0 | $ | 4.1 | $ | 4.4 | $ | 3.5 | $ | 2.4 | $ | 17.4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gas utility operations | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 6.7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Consumers | $ | 4.1 | $ | 5.4 | $ | 5.7 | $ | 5.0 | $ | 3.9 | $ | 24.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Material Cash Requirements:Presented in the following table are CMS Energy's and Consumers' material cash obligations from known contractual and other legal obligations:
| In Billions | ||||||||||||||
| Payments Due | ||||||||||||||
|
December 31, 2025
|
Less Than One Year | Total | ||||||||||||
|
CMS Energy, including Consumers
|
||||||||||||||
| Long-term debt | $ | 1.0 | $ | 18.9 | ||||||||||
| Interest payments on long-term debt | 0.8 | 15.1 | ||||||||||||
| Purchase obligations | 2.4 | 20.6 | ||||||||||||
| AROs | 0.1 | 2.7 | ||||||||||||
| Total obligations | $ | 4.3 | $ | 57.3 | ||||||||||
|
Consumers
|
||||||||||||||
| Long-term debt | $ | 0.6 | $ | 13.2 | ||||||||||
| Interest payments on long-term debt | 0.5 | 8.0 | ||||||||||||
| Purchase obligations | 2.1 | 19.7 | ||||||||||||
| AROs | 0.1 | 2.6 | ||||||||||||
| Total obligations | $ | 3.3 | $ | 43.5 | ||||||||||
Purchase obligations arise from long-term contracts for the purchase of commodities and related services, primarily long-term PPAs, and construction and service agreements. For more information on CMS Energy's and Consumers' purchase obligations, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments-Contractual Commitments.
CMS Energy, Consumers, and certain of their subsidiaries enter into various arrangements in the normal course of business to facilitate commercial transactions with third parties. These arrangements include indemnities, surety bonds, letters of credit, and financial and performance guarantees. For additional details on indemnity and guarantee arrangements, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments-Guarantees. For additional details on letters of credit and CMS Energy's forward sales contracts, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 5, Financings and Capitalization.
Outlook
Several business trends and uncertainties may affect CMS Energy's and Consumers' financial condition and results of operations. These trends and uncertainties could have a material impact on CMS Energy's and Consumers' consolidated income, cash flows, or financial position.
During 2025, the federal government took numerous executive actions related to tariffs and trade, alleviating regulatory burdens, and environmental regulations and enforcement, among other areas of potential impact. Many of these actions require further implementation by federal agencies and departments, and some of these actions will likely be subject to further judicial review. CMS Energy and Consumers continue to monitor these executive actions and will continue taking steps to deliver consistently on the triple bottom line.
For additional details regarding these and other uncertainties, see Forward-looking Statements and Information; Item 1A. Risk Factors; and Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters and Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments.
Consumers Electric Utility Outlook and Uncertainties
Energy Supply:Consumers' Electric Supply Plan, its long-term strategy for delivering safe, reliable, affordable, clean, and equitable energy to its customers, is outlined in its integrated resource plan and incorporates Consumers' Renewable Energy Plan. The Electric Supply Plan is Consumers' blueprint for compliance with Michigan's 2023 Energy Law and for advancing sustainability objectives.
Among other things, the 2023 Energy Law:
•increased the renewable energy standard from 15 percent to 50 percent by 2030 and 60 percent by 2035
•established a clean energy standard of 80 percent by 2035 and 100 percent by 2040; low- or zero-carbon emitting resources, such as nuclear generation and natural gas generation coupled with carbon capture, qualify as clean energy sources under this standard
•created a new energy storage standard, requiring electric utilities to file plans by 2029 to help achieve a statewide target of 2,500 MW; the MPSC Staff has indicated that Consumers' share of this target is 817 MW
Consumers' integrated resource planning process provides a clear path toward these goals. Updates to its integrated resource plan will be filed in 2026 to reinforce and expand that pathway, while recent updates to the Renewable Energy Plan-approved by the MPSC in September 2025-position Consumers to achieve 60-percent renewable energy by 2035 and 100-percent clean energy by 2040.
To meet these objectives, Consumers is executing a multi-faceted strategy:
•Ending the use of coal-In 2023, Consumers retired the D.E. Karn coal-fueled generating units, totaling 515 MW of nameplate capacity, and as authorized by the MPSC, issued securitization bonds to finance the recovery of and return on those units. Additionally, Consumers obtained MPSC approval to retire J.H. Campbell in May 2025, totaling 1,407 MW of nameplate capacity, and to recover its remaining book value plus a 9.0-percent return on equity through regulatory asset treatment upon its retirement. As discussed further below, the retirement of J.H. Campbell is subject to temporary extensions under emergency orders issued by the U.S. Secretary of Energy.
•Resource adequacy and reliability-To maintain reliability during the transition, Consumers purchased the Covert Generating Station, representing 1,200 MW of nameplate capacity, in 2023. Additionally, in September 2025, Consumers entered into a new 10-year PPA with the MCV Partnership for the purchase of up to 1,240 MW of capacity and associated energy from the MCV Facility, effective June 1, 2030.
•Energy storage investments-Consumers has contracted to purchase 850 MW of capacity from battery storage facilities to be located in Michigan's Lower Peninsula and with expected commercial operation dates through 2028.
•Renewable expansion-Recent Renewable Energy Plan updates include up to 4,000 MW of wind energy resources and up to 9,000 MW of both purchased and owned solar energy resources, of which 1,060 MW will support Consumers' voluntary green pricing program.
Presented in the following illustration is the aggregate renewable capacity that Consumers expects to add to its portfolio through PPAs and owned generation under its integrated resource plan, voluntary green pricing program, and Renewable Energy Plan updates:
The company earns a return equal to its pre-tax weighted-average cost of capital on permanent capital structure for payments under new clean, renewable, or energy storage PPAs with non-affiliated entities.
Consumers will continue to competitively bid new capacity and energy resources, ensuring a balanced portfolio of intermittent renewables and dispatchable clean resources. Any resulting contracts are subject to MPSC approval. Through these integrated plans, Consumers is advancing Michigan's clean energy transition while maintaining system reliability, affordability, and regulatory compliance.
J.H. Campbell Emergency Orders:In May 2025, before the planned closure of J.H. Campbell, the U.S. Secretary of Energy issued an emergency order under section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act requiring J.H. Campbell to continue operating for 90 days, through August 20, 2025. Subsequently, the
U.S. Secretary of Energy issued two additional emergency orders for 90 days each, ultimately requiring continued operation of J.H. Campbell through February 17, 2026. These orders stated that continued operation of J.H. Campbell was required to meet an energy emergency across MISO's North and Central regions. Consistent with the Federal Power Act and DOE regulations, the orders authorize Consumers to obtain cost recovery at FERC.
As directed, Consumers has continued to make J.H. Campbell available in the MISO market and, in June 2025, filed a complaint at FERC seeking a modification of the MISO Tariff to establish a mechanism for recovery and allocation of the cost to comply with this order. In August 2025, FERC granted Consumers' complaint and ordered MISO to revise its tariff accordingly. MISO submitted a compliance filing with FERC in September 2025, and FERC approval of the compliance filing remains pending. For additional discussion of this FERC proceeding and Consumers' request for recovery, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters.
Following the May 2025 emergency order, several third-party stakeholders, including the Michigan Attorney General, the Organization of MISO States, and a group of environmental and public interest groups, asked the U.S. Secretary of Energy to reconsider the May 2025 emergency order. In July 2025, after the U.S. Secretary of Energy took no action on those requests, several parties filed petitions for review of the May 2025 emergency order in federal court. The requests for rehearing were subsequently denied, and similar challenges to the August and November 2025 orders are underway. The U.S. Secretary of Energy may issue more orders to require the continued operation of J.H. Campbell. While the timing and content of future orders and the outcome of third-party legal challenges are not yet known, Consumers is committed to pursuing cost recovery as provided for under applicable laws, orders, and proceedings.
Electric Customer Deliveries and Revenue:Consumers' electric customer deliveries are seasonal and largely dependent on Michigan's economy. The consumption of electric energy typically increases in the summer months, due primarily to the use of air conditioners and other cooling equipment. In addition, Consumers' electric rates, which follow a seasonal rate design, are higher in the summer months than in the remaining months of the year. Each year in June, electric residential customers transition to a summer peak time-of-use rate that allows them to take advantage of lower-cost energy during off-peak times during the summer months. Thus, customers can reduce their electric bills by shifting their consumption from on-peak to off-peak times.
Over the next five years, Consumers expects weather-normalized electric deliveries to increase compared to 2025. This outlook reflects strong growth in electric demand, offset partially by the effects of energy waste reduction programs. Actual delivery levels will depend on:
•energy conservation measures and results of energy waste reduction programs
•weather fluctuations
•Michigan's economic conditions, including data center expansion; utilization, expansion, or contraction of large commercial and industrial facilities; economic development; population trends; electric vehicle adoption; and housing activity
Electric ROA:Michigan law allows electric customers in Consumers' service territory to buy electric generation service from alternative electric suppliers in an aggregate amount capped at 10 percent of Consumers' sales, with certain exceptions. At December 31, 2025, electric deliveries under the ROA program were at the 10-percent limit. Fewer than 300 of Consumers' electric customers purchased electric generation service under the ROA program.
In 2016, Michigan law established a path to ensure that forward capacity is secured for all electric customers in Michigan, including customers served by alternative electric suppliers under ROA. The law also authorized the MPSC to ensure that alternative electric suppliers have procured enough capacity to cover their anticipated capacity requirements for the four-year forward period. In 2017, the MPSC issued an order establishing a state reliability mechanism for Consumers. Under this mechanism, if an alternative electric supplier does not demonstrate that it has procured its capacity requirements for the four-year forward period, its customers will pay a set charge to the utility for capacity that is not provided by the alternative electric supplier.
During 2017, the MPSC issued orders finding that it has statutory authority to determine and implement a local clearing requirement, which requires all electric suppliers to demonstrate that a portion of the capacity used to serve customers is located in the MISO footprint in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. In 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court affirmed the MPSC's statutory authority to implement a local clearing requirement on individual electric providers.
In 2020, ABATE and another intervenor filed a complaint against the MPSC in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan challenging the constitutionality of a local clearing requirement. The complaint requested the federal court to issue a permanent injunction prohibiting the MPSC from implementing a local clearing requirement on individual electric providers. In 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan dismissed the complaint. ABATE and the other intervenor filed a claim of appeal of the Eastern District Court's decision with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
In January 2025, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion finding that the MPSC's imposition of a local clearing requirement on individual electric suppliers would discriminate against interstate commerce. The Court of Appeals remanded to the District Court for a determination of whether the local clearing requirement discriminated against interstate commerce and whether the MPSC's regulation survives a strict scrutiny standard, which depends on a determination of whether the local clearing requirement is the only means of achieving the state's goal of securing reliable energy supply. In January 2025, Consumers filed a petition for rehearing and en banc review with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, requesting the Court to reconsider and reverse the panel's opinion. In February 2025, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order denying Consumers' petition for rehearing and en banc review. The case has therefore been remanded to the District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan for consideration of whether the MPSC's local clearing requirement meets the strict scrutiny standard pursuant to the Court of Appeals' decision. The remanded proceeding has begun at the Eastern District Court; there is no deadline for decision.
Sale of Hydroelectric Facilities: In September 2025, Consumers signed an agreement to sell its 13 river hydroelectric dams, which are located throughout Michigan, to a non-affiliated company. Additionally, Consumers signed an agreement to purchase power generated by the facilities for 30 years, at a price that reflects the counterparty's acceptance of the risks and rewards of ownership of the facilities, including FERC licensing obligations. The agreements are contingent upon MPSC and FERC approval, for which Consumers filed in October 2025. Timing of the regulatory review process is uncertain and could extend 12 to 18 months or longer. In Consumers' most recent electric rate case, the MPSC approved deferred accounting treatment for costs of owning and operating the hydroelectric dams pending and until completion of the transaction. At December 31, 2025, the net book value of the hydroelectric facilities was immaterial.
To ensure necessary staffing at the hydroelectric facilities through the anticipated sale, Consumers has provided current employees at the facilities with a retention incentive program. Subsequently, to ensure continued safe operation of the facilities after the sale, the buyer will offer employment to the current
hydroelectric employees for a period of at least a year. The retention incentive benefits are contingent upon MPSC and FERC approval of the sale transaction.
Electric Rate Matters:Rate matters are critical to Consumers' electric utility business. For additional details on rate matters, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters and Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments.
MPSC Distribution System Audit:In 2022, the MPSC ordered the state's two largest electric utilities, including Consumers, to report on their compliance with regulations and past MPSC orders governing the utilities' response to outages and downed lines. Consumers responded to the MPSC's order as directed.
Additionally, as directed by the MPSC, the MPSC Staff engaged a third-party auditor to review all equipment and operations of the two utilities' distribution systems. In September 2024, the MPSC Staff released the third-party auditor's final report on its audit of Consumers' distribution system. The report included several recommendations to improve Consumers' distribution system and associated processes and procedures. Consumers filed a response to the audit report in November 2024. In June 2025, the MPSC issued an order adopting the audit's findings and recommendations. Consumers is committed to working with the MPSC to continue improving electric reliability and safety in Michigan.
Performance-based Financial Incentives/Disincentives Mechanism: In February 2025, the MPSC issued an order establishing a mechanism through which the state's largest electric utilities, including Consumers, could realize up to $10 million each in incentives or penalties annually for meeting or failing to meet reliability benchmarks, beginning in 2026. As directed, Consumers filed proposed company-specific baseline metrics for the performance mechanism in April 2025; the MPSC approved Consumers' proposed metrics in December 2025.
2025 Electric Rate Case: In June 2025, Consumers filed an application with the MPSC seeking a rate increase of $460 million, made up of two components. First, Consumers requested a $436 million annual rate increase, based on a 10.25-percent authorized return on equity for the projected 12-month period ending April 30, 2027. The filing requested authority to recover costs related to new infrastructure investment primarily in distribution system reliability. Second, Consumers requested approval of a $24 million surcharge for the recovery of distribution investments made during the 12 months ended February 28, 2025 that exceeded the rate amounts authorized in accordance with previous electric rate orders.
In October 2025, Consumers revised its requested increase to $447 million. Presented in the following table are the components of the revised requested increase in revenue:
| In Millions | ||||||||
| Projected 12-Month Period Ending April 30 | 2027 | |||||||
| Investment in rate base | $ | 192 | ||||||
| Operating and maintenance costs | 157 | |||||||
| Cost of capital | 67 | |||||||
| Sales and other revenue | 7 | |||||||
| Subtotal | $ | 423 | ||||||
| Surcharge | 24 | |||||||
| Total | $ | 447 | ||||||
The MPSC must issue a final order in this case before or in April 2026.
Large-load Tariff:In November 2025, the MPSC approved changes to Consumers' standard large-customer tariff to govern service for new large electricity users such as data centers. Consumers sought these changes to protect existing customers. The changes apply to customers with a minimum service threshold of 100 MW and require a minimum 15-year contract (beyond the construction period), an 80-percent minimum demand billing obligation, upfront fees, and strong collateral and exit-fee protections to ensure these large customers fully cover their own costs of service and do not shift risk or costs to existing customers. Each large-load contract must receive MPSC approval before taking effect. The MPSC also directed Consumers to present multiple cost-allocation and rate-design options before its next rate case to ensure that large-load customers pay their fair share of system costs going forward.
Depreciation Rate Case: In December 2025, Consumers filed a depreciation case related to its electric and common utility property. In this case, Consumers requested to increase depreciation expense, and its recovery of that expense of $34 million annually based on December 31, 2024 balances.
Retention Incentive Program: The retirement of J.H. Campbell is subject to temporary extensions under emergency orders issued by the U.S. Secretary of Energy. As a result, Consumers has implemented retention measures to ensure appropriate staffing levels and expects to incur up to $4 million during each 90-day emergency order period. Consumers will seek recovery of these retention costs from FERC, consistent with rate recovery sought for other costs of complying with the emergency orders. For additional details on this program, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 20, Exit Activities and Asset Sales. For additional details on the emergency orders, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters.
Electric Environmental Outlook: Consumers' electric operations are subject to various federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations. Consumers estimates that it will incur capital expenditures of $245 million from 2026 through 2030 to continue to comply with RCRA, the Clean Air Act, and numerous other environmental regulations. Consumers expects to recover these costs in customer rates, but cannot guarantee this result. Multiple environmental laws and regulations are subject to litigation. Consumers' primary environmental compliance focus includes, but is not limited to, the following matters.
Air Quality:Multiple air quality regulations apply, or may apply, to Consumers' electric utility.
MATS, emission standards for electric generating units published by the EPA based on Section 112 of the Clean Air Act, continue to apply to Consumers. In June 2025, the EPA issued a proposed rule to repeal changes made to the MATS rule in 2024. The company has complied, and continues to comply, with the MATS regulation and both the 2024 and proposed 2025 versions of MATS have minimal impacts on Consumers' electric generating units. Consumers does not expect MATS to materially impact its environmental strategy.
CSAPR requires Michigan and many other states to improve air quality by reducing power plant emissions that, according to EPA modeling, contribute to ground-level ozone in other downwind states. Consumers complies with this regulation and expects it to have minimal financial and operational impact in the near and/or long term.
In 2015, the EPA lowered the NAAQS for ozone and made it more difficult to construct or modify power plants and other emission sources in areas of the country that do not meet the ozone standard. As of 2023, three counties in western Michigan have been designated as not meeting the ozone standard. Based on recent data, the EPA reclassified these counties from "moderate" to "serious" nonattainment. Additionally, a December 2025 court decision vacated the EPA's 2023 redesignation of a seven-county area in southeast Michigan from moderate ozone nonattainment to attainment. None of Consumers'
fossil-fuel-fired generating units are located in these areas. Consumers will continue to monitor the impact of the recent court decision on the seven-county area in southeast Michigan, including resulting agency actions, but does not anticipate it will have any impact on Consumers' generating assets.
In March 2024, the EPA published a lower fine particulate matter NAAQS, which could result in newly designated nonattainment areas in Michigan starting in 2026. In 2025, EGLE proposed nonattainment areas for Kalamazoo and Wayne counties, with a decision by the EPA expected in 2026. Consumers does not have any fossil-fuel-fired generating assets in these counties and therefore does not expect this rule to have significant impacts on its existing generating assets or its clean energy strategy. Consumers will continue to monitor NAAQS rulemakings and litigation to evaluate potential impacts to its generating assets.
In January 2026, the EPA published a final rule amending new source performance standards for new, modified, and reconstructed stationary combustion turbines to lower emission limits for NOx. This final rule requires new large simple-cycle turbine units with higher capacity factors to install control equipment for NOx emissions. Consumers is evaluating this rule to determine its impact.
Consumers continues to evaluate these rules in conjunction with other EPA and EGLE rulemakings, litigation, executive orders, treaties, and congressional actions. This evaluation could result in:
•a change in Consumers' fuel mix
•changes in the types of generating units Consumers may purchase or build in the future
•changes in how certain units are operated, including the installation of additional emission control equipment
•the retirement, mothballing, extended operation, or repowering with an alternative fuel of some of Consumers' generating units
•changes in Consumers' environmental compliance costs
•the purchase or sale of emission allowances
Greenhouse Gases:There have been numerous legislative, executive, and regulatory initiatives at the state, regional, national, and international levels that involve the potential regulation and reporting of greenhouse gases. Consumers continues to monitor and comment on these initiatives, as appropriate.
In September 2025, the EPA proposed a rule to reconsider the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program by eliminating the reporting obligations from numerous emission sources, including Consumers' electric generation sites and distribution equipment. Reporting of carbon dioxide to the EPA, however, will continue for sources subject to the Clean Air Act Acid Rain Program, which includes Consumers' fossil-fuel-fired electric generation. This change could result in inconsistent approaches in voluntary greenhouse gas accounting for industrial sources.
In April 2024, the EPA finalized its rule under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act to address greenhouse gas emissions from new combustion turbine electric generating units and existing coal-, gas-, and oil-fueled steam electric generating units. These rules do not address existing combustion turbine electric generating units. In June 2025, the EPA issued a proposed rule containing two different pathways to rescind these requirements. Consumers does not expect these proposed changes will have a significant impact on its existing gas- and oil-fueled steam electric generating assets. Consumers will continue to follow the EPA rules that address greenhouse gas emissions and will continue to evaluate potential impacts to its operations.
Increased frequency or intensity of severe or extreme weather events, including those due to climate change, could materially impact Consumers' facilities, energy sales, and results of operations. Consumers is unable to predict these events; however, Consumers evaluates the potential physical impacts of climate
change on its operations, including increased frequency or intensity of storm activity; increased precipitation; increased temperature; and changes in lake and river levels. Consumers released a report addressing the physical risks of climate change on its infrastructure in 2022. Consumers is taking steps to mitigate these risks as appropriate.
While Consumers cannot predict the outcome of changes in U.S. policy or of other legislative, executive, or regulatory initiatives involving the potential regulation or reporting of greenhouse gases, it intends to move forward with its compliance with Michigan's clean energy requirements, its own sustainability goals, and its emphasis on reliable and resilient electric supply. Litigation, international treaties, executive orders, federal laws and regulations (including regulations by the EPA), and state laws and regulations, if enacted or ratified, could ultimately impact Consumers. Consumers may be required to:
•replace equipment
•install additional emission control equipment
•purchase emission allowances or credits (including potential greenhouse gas offset credits)
•curtail operations or modify existing facility retirement schedules
•arrange for alternative sources of supply
•purchase or build facilities that generate fewer emissions
•mothball, sell, or retire facilities that generate certain emissions
•pursue energy efficiency or demand response measures more swiftly
•take other steps to manage, sequester, or lower the emission of greenhouse gases
Although associated capital or operating costs relating to greenhouse gas regulation or legislation could be material and cost recovery cannot be assured, Consumers expects to recover these costs in rates consistent with the recovery of other reasonable costs of complying with environmental laws and regulations.
CCRs:In 2015, the EPA published a rule regulating CCRs under RCRA. This rule adopts minimum standards for the disposal of non-hazardous CCRs in CCR landfills and surface impoundments and criteria for the beneficial use of CCRs. The rule also sets out conditions under which some CCR units would be forced to cease receiving CCRs and related process water and to initiate closure. Due to continued litigation, many aspects of the rule have been remanded to the EPA, resulting in more proposed and final rules.
In May 2024, the EPA finalized a rule regulating legacy CCR surface impoundments and CCR management units in response to litigation that exempted inactive impoundments at inactive facilities from the 2015 CCR rule. The new rule adopts minimum standards for impoundments at electric generating facilities that became inactive before the 2015 CCR rule's effective date. During 2024, owners and operators were required to assess whether an inactive facility contains a legacy surface impoundment and then, for identified locations, proceed with the compliance schedule.
Additionally, the EPA established groundwater monitoring, corrective action, closure, and post-closure care requirements for CCR surface impoundments and landfills closed prior to the effective date of the 2015 CCR rule, but that do not meet the closure technical and performance standards of the May 2024 rule. These include inactive CCR landfills that were previously exempted from regulation but that are now considered CCR management units. Owners are required to conduct an evaluation at active facilities or any inactive facilities with at least one legacy impoundment to identify CCR management units and determine an appropriate course of action (closure, groundwater treatment, etc.) for each identified unit according to established compliance milestone schedules. In February 2026, the EPA issued a final rule extending the compliance milestone schedule for CCR management units. This extension does not have a material impact on Consumers' compliance strategy.
Separately, Congress passed legislation in 2016 allowing participating states to develop permitting programs for CCRs under RCRA Subtitle D. The EPA was granted authority to review these permitting programs to determine if permits issued under the proposed program would be as protective as the federal rule. Once approved, permits issued from an authorized state would serve as the basis for compliance, replacing the requirement to self-certify each aspect of the 2015 CCR rule.
Consumers, with agreement from EGLE, completed the work necessary to initiate closure by excavating CCRs or placing a final cover over each of its relevant CCR units prior to the closure initiation deadline set forth in the 2015 CCR rule. Consumers has historically been authorized to recover in electric rates costs related to coal ash disposal sites that supported power generation. Consumers completed an assessment of inactive facilities as required by the 2024 CCR rule, and did not identify any legacy impoundments. Consumers is continuing evaluations related to CCR management units and 2024 CCR rule impacts on the state permit program.
Water:Multiple water-related regulations apply, or may apply, to Consumers.
The EPA regulates cooling water intake systems of existing electric generating plants under Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act. The rules seek to reduce alleged harmful impacts on aquatic organisms, such as fish. In 2018, Consumers submitted to EGLE studies and recommended plans to comply with Section 316(b) for its coal-fueled units but has not yet received final approval.
The EPA also regulates the discharge of wastewater through its effluent limitation guidelines for steam electric generating plants. Consumers has submitted the appropriate notices of planned participation in compliance with this rule. Consumers has also submitted timely NPDES permit applications and will be working with EGLE to incorporate applicable provisions during the permit renewal process.
Many of Consumers' facilities maintain NPDES permits, which are vital to the facilities' operations. Consumers applies for renewal of these permits every five years. Failure of EGLE to renew any NPDES permit, a successful appeal against a permit, a change in the interpretation or scope of NPDES permitting, or onerous terms contained in a permit could have a significant detrimental effect on the operations of a facility.
Protected Wildlife: Multiple regulations apply, or may apply, to Consumers relating to protected species and habitats.
Statutes like the federal Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940 and changes to permitting may impact operations at Consumers' facilities. In February 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a final rule providing for bald eagle general permits for qualifying wind farms and electric distribution systems. Consumers has received, or is pursuing, bald eagle general permits for all its wind farms. While any resulting permitting and monitoring fees and/or restrictions on operations could impact Consumers' existing and future operations, Consumers does not expect any material changes to its environmental strategy or Electric Supply Plan as a result of this rule.
Additionally, Consumers regularly monitors proposed changes to the listing status of several species within its operational area. A change in species listed under the Endangered Species Act, or under Michigan's equivalent law, may impact Consumers' costs to mitigate its impact on protected species and habitats at certain existing facilities as well as siting choices for new facilities.
Other Matters:Other electric environmental matters could have a material impact on Consumers' outlook. For additional details on other electric environmental matters, see Item 8. Financial Statements
and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments-Consumers Electric Utility Contingencies-Electric Environmental Matters.
Consumers Gas Utility Outlook and Uncertainties
Gas Deliveries:Consumers' gas customer deliveries are seasonal. The peak demand for natural gas occurs in the winter due to colder temperatures and the resulting use of natural gas as heating fuel.
Over the next five years, Consumers expects weather-normalized gas deliveries to remain stable relative to 2025. This outlook reflects modest growth in gas demand, offset by the effects of energy waste reduction programs. Actual delivery levels will depend on:
•weather fluctuations
•use by power producers
•availability and development of renewable energy sources
•gas price changes
•Michigan's economic conditions, including population trends and housing activity
•the price or demand of competing energy sources or fuels
•energy efficiency and conservation impacts
Gas Rate Matters:Rate matters are critical to Consumers' gas utility business. For additional details on rate matters, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters and Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments.
2025 Gas Rate Case: In December 2025, Consumers filed an application with the MPSC seeking an annual rate increase of $240 million based on a 10.25-percent authorized return on equity for the projected 12-month period ending October 31, 2027.
Presented in the following table are the components of the requested increase in revenue:
| In Millions | ||||||||
| Projected 12-Month Period Ending October 31 | 2027 | |||||||
| Investment in rate base | $ | 108 | ||||||
| Operating and maintenance costs | 65 | |||||||
| Cost of capital | 66 | |||||||
| Sales/gross margin | 1 | |||||||
| Total | $ | 240 | ||||||
The MPSC must issue a final order in this case before or in October 2026.
Gas Pipeline and Storage Integrity and Safety: Consumers' gas operations are governed by federal and state pipeline safety rules, and there are robust processes and procedures in place to maintain compliance with these regulations. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has published various rules that revise federal safety standards for gas transmission pipelines and underground storage facilities. Consumers has implemented measures to achieve compliance with the revised rules. There are also proposed rules expanding requirements for gas safety, although these rules are subject to reconsideration by the current administration. Under the proposed rules, Consumers will incur increased capital and increased operating and maintenance costs to install and remediate pipelines and to expand inspections, maintenance, and monitoring of existing pipelines and storage facilities.
Although associated capital or operating and maintenance costs relating to these regulations could be material and cost recovery cannot be assured, Consumers expects to recover such costs in rates consistent with the recovery of other reasonable costs of complying with laws and regulations.
Gas Environmental Outlook: Consumers expects to incur response activity costs at a number of sites, including 23 former MGP sites. For additional details, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments-Consumers Gas Utility Contingencies.
Consumers' gas operations are subject to various federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations. Multiple environmental laws and regulations are subject to litigation. Consumers' primary environmental compliance focus includes, but is not limited to, the following matters.
Air Quality:Multiple air quality regulations apply, or may apply, to Consumers' gas utility.
In 2015, the EPA lowered the NAAQS for ozone and made it more difficult to construct or modify natural gas compressor stations and other emission sources in areas of the country that do not meet the ozone standard. As of 2023, three counties in western Michigan have been designated as not meeting the ozone standard. Based on recent data, the EPA reclassified these counties from "moderate" to "serious" nonattainment, which has more stringent requirements. One of Consumers' compressor stations is in a serious ozone nonattainment area. Consequently, Consumers has initiated plans to retrofit equipment at this compressor station to lower NOx emissions.
Additionally, a December 2025 court decision vacated the EPA's 2023 redesignation of the seven-county area in southeast Michigan from moderate ozone nonattainment to attainment. Four of Consumers' compressor stations are located in these counties, with one station having assets that may be impacted by the redesignation change. Consumers will continue to monitor the recent court decision's impact on the seven-county area in southeast Michigan, including resulting agency actions, and the potential impacts to compressor station assets.
Consumers will continue to monitor NAAQS rulemakings and litigation, and evaluate potential impacts to its compressor stations and other applicable natural gas storage and delivery assets.
In March 2024, the EPA published a lower fine particulate matter NAAQS, which could result in newly designated nonattainment areas in Michigan starting in 2026. In 2025, EGLE proposed nonattainment areas for Kalamazoo and Wayne counties, with a decision by the EPA expected in 2026. Consumers has one compressor station located in Wayne County and will continue to monitor NAAQS rulemakings and litigation to evaluate potential impacts to the natural gas compressor station assets.
Greenhouse Gases:Some interest exists at the various levels of government in regulating greenhouse gases or their sources. Future regulations, if adopted, may involve requirements to reduce methane emissions from Consumers' gas utility operations and carbon dioxide emissions from customer use of natural gas. Consumers will continue to monitor such potential rules for impacts.
In September 2025, the EPA proposed a rule to reconsider the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program by removing the natural gas distribution segment from the reporting obligations under the petroleum and natural gas source category, and proposed to delay the reporting obligations until 2034 for the remaining sources in this category. If this proposal is finalized as proposed, it could result in inconsistent approaches in voluntary greenhouse gas accounting for industrial sources.
Consumers is making voluntary efforts to reduce its gas utility's methane emissions. Under its Methane Reduction Plan, Consumers has set a goal of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas delivery
system by 2030. Consumers plans to reduce methane emissions from its system by about 80 percent from 2012 baseline levels by accelerating the replacement of aging pipe, rehabilitating or retiring outdated infrastructure, and adopting new technologies and practices. The remaining emissions will likely be offset through clean fuel alternatives or nature-based carbon removal pathways. To date, Consumers has reduced methane emissions by more than 40 percent.
Consumers has also set a goal to reduce customer greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2035. Consumers' Natural Gas Delivery Plan, a rolling ten-year investment plan to deliver safe, reliable, clean, and affordable natural gas to customers, outlines ways in which Consumers can make early progress toward these goals in a cost-effective manner, including energy waste reduction, carbon offsets, and renewable natural gas supply.
Consumers has already initiated work in these key areas by continuing to expand its energy waste reduction targets and by offering gas customers the ability to offset their carbon footprint associated with natural gas use by purchasing renewable natural gas and/or carbon credits associated with Michigan forest preservation. Consumers has renewable natural gas facilities under construction scheduled for commercial operation in 2026 and is monitoring regulatory developments and market conditions closely as part of its ongoing evaluation of the projects. As part of this evaluation, two early-phase renewable natural gas development projects have been paused indefinitely, and Consumers recognized an impairment charge of $15 million related to these projects in 2025. Consumers is evaluating and monitoring newer technologies to determine their role in achieving Consumers' interim and long-term net-zero goals, including biofuels, geothermal, synthetic methane, carbon capture sequestration systems, and other innovative technologies.
NorthStar Clean Energy Outlook and Uncertainties
CMS Energy's primary focus with respect to its NorthStar Clean Energy businesses is to maximize the value of generating assets representing 1,665 MW of capacity, and to pursue opportunities for the development of renewable generation projects, including leveraging strategic partnerships and available tax incentives.
In December 2025, NorthStar Clean Energy sold a Class A membership interest in BG Solar Holdings to a tax equity investor. BG Solar Holdings is the holding company of a 200-MW solar generation project being constructed in Branch County, Michigan. All of the project's nameplate capacity has been committed under a 15-year renewable energy purchase agreement. The tax equity investor contributed $15 million and recognized a deemed contribution of $35 million associated with BG Solar Holdings' sale of investment tax credits related to a portion of the project placed into service for tax purposes in 2025. The tax equity investor will contribute additional amounts upon commercial operation of the project in 2026.
NorthStar Clean Energy retained a Class B membership interest in BG Solar Holdings. Earnings, tax attributes, and cash flows generated by BG Solar Holdings will be allocated among and distributed to the membership classes in accordance with the ratios specified in the associated limited liability company operating agreement; these ratios change over time and are not representative of the ownership interest percentages of each membership class. For additional details, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 19, Variable Interest Entities.
Trends, uncertainties, and other matters related to NorthStar Clean Energy that could have a material impact on CMS Energy's consolidated income, cash flows, or financial position include:
•investment in and financial benefits received from renewable energy and energy storage projects, including changes to tax and trade policy
•delays or difficulties in financing, constructing, and developing projects, including those arising from the performance of contractors, suppliers, or other counterparties
•changes in energy, capacity, and other commodity prices
•severe weather events and climate change associated with increasing levels of greenhouse gases
•changes in various environmental laws, regulations, principles, or practices, or in their interpretation
•indemnity obligations assumed in connection with ownership interests in facilities that involve tax equity financing
•representations, warranties, and indemnities provided in connection with sales of assets
•delays or difficulties in obtaining environmental permits
For additional details regarding NorthStar Clean Energy's uncertainties, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments-Guarantees.
NorthStar Clean Energy Environmental Outlook: NorthStar Clean Energy's operations are subject to various federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations. Multiple environmental laws and regulations are subject to litigation. NorthStar Clean Energy's primary environmental compliance focus includes, but is not limited to, the following matters.
CSAPR requires Michigan and many other states to improve air quality by reducing power plant emissions that, according to EPA modeling, contribute to ground-level ozone in other downwind states. NorthStar Clean Energy complies with this regulation and expects it to have minimal financial and operational impact in the near and/or long term.
In March 2024, the EPA published a lower fine particulate matter NAAQS, which could result in newly designated nonattainment areas in Michigan starting in 2026. In 2025, EGLE proposed nonattainment areas for Kalamazoo and Wayne counties, with a decision by the EPA expected in 2026. NorthStar Clean Energy has two fossil-fuel-fired generating units in these counties and therefore will continue to monitor NAAQS rulemaking and litigation to evaluate potential impacts to its generating assets.
In January 2026, the EPA published a final rule amending new source performance standards for new, modified, and reconstructed stationary combustion turbines to lower emission limits for NOx. This final rule requires new large simple-cycle turbine units with higher capacity factors to install control equipment for NOx emissions. NorthStar Clean Energy will monitor this rulemaking.
A December 2025 court decision vacated the EPA's 2023 redesignation of the seven-county area in southeast Michigan from moderate ozone nonattainment to attainment. NorthStar Clean Energy has one electric generating station located within this area. NorthStar Clean Energy will continue to monitor the recent court decision's impact on the seven-county area in southeast Michigan, including resulting agency actions, and the potential impacts to compressor station assets.
For additional details regarding the ozone NAAQS, see Consumers Electric Utility Outlook and Uncertainties-Electric Environmental Outlook.
In September 2025, the EPA proposed a rule to reconsider the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program by eliminating the reporting obligations from numerous emission sources. Reporting of carbon dioxide to the
EPA, however, will continue for sources subject to the Clean Air Act Acid Rain Program. This change could result in inconsistent approaches in voluntary greenhouse gas accounting for industrial sources.
In April 2024, the EPA finalized its rule under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act to address greenhouse gas emissions from new combustion turbine electric generating units and existing coal-, gas-, and oil-fueled steam electric generating units. These rules do not address existing combustion turbine electric generating units. In June 2025, the EPA issued a proposed rule containing two different pathways to rescind these requirements. Neither pathway impacts NorthStar Clean Energy's existing facilities. NorthStar Clean Energy will continue to follow the EPA rules that address greenhouse gas emissions and will continue to evaluate potential impacts to its operations.
Many of NorthStar Clean Energy's facilities maintain NPDES permits, which are vital to the facilities' operations. NorthStar Clean Energy applies for renewal of these permits every five years. Failure of EGLE to renew any NPDES permit, a successful appeal against a permit, a change in the interpretation or scope of NPDES permitting, or onerous terms contained in a permit could have a significant detrimental effect on the operations of a facility.
Other Outlook and Uncertainties
Tax Legislation:CMS Energy and Consumers are subject to changing tax laws. In July 2025, President Trump signed into law the OBBBA. The legislation allows for the immediate expensing of domestic research and development costs and includes changes to clean energy tax credits enacted by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. While the OBBBA restores, and makes permanent, the 100-percent bonus depreciation deduction, it also retains a provision that allows utilities to take a full deduction of interest expense in lieu of 100-percent bonus depreciation. CMS Energy and Consumers evaluated the provisions of the OBBBA and concluded that the legislation is not expected to have a material impact on their respective financial statements. This conclusion is subject to change as additional guidance or interpretations become available.
Litigation:CMS Energy, Consumers, and certain of their subsidiaries are named as parties in various litigation matters, as well as in administrative proceedings before various courts and governmental agencies, arising in the ordinary course of business. For additional details regarding certain legal matters, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters and Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The following information is important to understand CMS Energy's and Consumers' results of operations and financial condition. For additional accounting policies, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 1, Significant Accounting Policies.
In the preparation of CMS Energy's and Consumers' consolidated financial statements, estimates and assumptions are used that may affect reported amounts and disclosures. CMS Energy and Consumers use accounting estimates for asset valuations, unbilled revenue, depreciation, amortization, financial and derivative instruments, employee benefits, stock-based compensation, the effects of regulation, indemnities, contingencies, and AROs. Actual results may differ from estimated results due to changes in the regulatory environment, regulatory decisions, lawsuits, competition, and other factors. CMS Energy and Consumers consider all relevant factors in making these assessments.
Accounting for the Effects of Industry Regulation:Because Consumers has regulated operations, it uses regulatory accounting to recognize the effects of the regulators' decisions on its financial statements. Consumers continually assesses whether future recovery of its regulatory assets is probable by considering communications and experience with its regulators and changes in the regulatory environment. If Consumers determined that recovery of a regulatory asset were not probable, Consumers would be required to write off the asset and immediately recognize the expense in earnings. For additional information, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters.
Contingencies:CMS Energy and Consumers make judgments regarding the future outcome of various matters that give rise to contingent liabilities. For such matters, they record liabilities when they are considered probable and reasonably estimable, based on all available information. In particular, CMS Energy and Consumers are participating in various environmental remediation projects for which they have recorded liabilities. The recorded amounts represent estimates that may take into account such considerations as the number of sites, the anticipated scope, cost, and timing of remediation work, the available technology, applicable regulations, and the requirements of governmental authorities. For remediation projects in which the timing of estimated expenditures is considered reliably determinable, CMS Energy and Consumers record the liability at its net present value, using a discount rate equal to the interest rate on monetary assets that are essentially risk-free and have maturities comparable to that of the environmental liability. The amount recorded for any contingency may differ from actual costs incurred when the contingency is resolved. For additional details, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 4, Contingencies and Commitments.
Income Taxes:The amount of income taxes paid by CMS Energy is subject to ongoing audits by federal, state, and foreign tax authorities, which can result in proposed assessments. An estimate of the potential outcome of any uncertain tax issue is highly judgmental. CMS Energy believes adequate reserves have been provided for these exposures; however, future results may include favorable or unfavorable adjustments to the estimated tax liabilities in the period the assessments are made or resolved or when statutes of limitation on potential assessments expire. Additionally, CMS Energy's judgment as to the ability to recover its deferred tax assets may change. CMS Energy believes the valuation allowances related to its deferred tax assets are adequate, but future results may include favorable or unfavorable adjustments. As a result, CMS Energy's effective tax rate may fluctuate significantly over time. For additional details, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 13, Income Taxes.
Pension and OPEB:CMS Energy and Consumers provide retirement pension benefits to certain employees under non-contributory DB Pension Plans, and they provide postretirement health and life benefits to qualifying retired employees under an OPEB Plan.
CMS Energy and Consumers record liabilities for pension and OPEB on their consolidated balance sheets at the present value of the future obligations, net of any plan assets. The calculation of the liabilities and associated expenses requires the expertise of actuaries, and requires many assumptions, including:
•life expectancies
•discount rates
•expected long-term rate of return on plan assets
•rate of compensation increases
•expected health care costs
A change in these assumptions could change significantly CMS Energy's and Consumers' recorded liabilities and associated expenses.
Presented in the following table are estimates of credits and cash contributions through 2028 for the DB Pension Plans and OPEB Plan.Actual future costs, credits, and contributions will depend on future investment performance, discount rates, and various factors related to the participants of the DB Pension Plans and OPEB Plan. CMS Energy and Consumers will, at a minimum, contribute to the plans as needed to comply with federal funding requirements.
| In Millions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DB Pension Plans | OPEB Plan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit | Contribution | Credit | Contribution | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CMS Energy, including Consumers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | $ | (86) | $ | - | $ | (109) | $ | - | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2027 | (87) | - | (99) | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2028 | (100) | - | (92) | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Consumers1
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2026 | $ | (81) | $ | - | $ | (101) | $ | - | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2027 | (81) | - | (91) | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2028 | (94) | - | (84) | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
1Consumers' pension and OPEB costs are recoverable through its general ratemaking process.
Lowering the expected long-term rate of return on the assets of the DB Pension Plans by 25 basis points would increase estimated pension cost for 2026 by $8 million for both CMS Energy and Consumers. Lowering the PBO discount rates by 25 basis points would decrease estimated pension cost for 2026 by $1 million for both CMS Energy and Consumers. Pension and OPEB costs above or below the amounts used to set existing rates will be deferred as a regulatory asset or liability in accordance with Consumers' postretirement benefits expense deferral mechanism; for more information, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 3, Regulatory Matters.
Pension and OPEB plan assets are accounted for and disclosed at fair value. Fair value measurements incorporate assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability, including assumptions about risk. Development of these assumptions may require judgment.
For additional details on postretirement benefits, including the fair value measurements for the assets of the DB Pension Plans and OPEB Plan, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 11, Retirement Benefits.
Unbilled Revenues:Consumers' customers are billed monthly in cycles having billing dates that do not generally coincide with the end of a calendar month. This results in customers having received electricity or natural gas that they have not been billed for as of the month-end. Consumers estimates its unbilled revenues by applying an average billed rate to total unbilled deliveries for each customer class. Consumers records unbilled revenues as accounts receivable and accrued revenue on its consolidated balance sheet. For additional information on unbilled revenues, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 15, Revenue.
New Accounting Standards
For details regarding new accounting standards issued but not yet effective, See Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data-Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements-Note 2, New Accounting Standards.
CMS Energy Corporation published this content on February 10, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via EDGAR on February 10, 2026 at 16:32 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]