Consumers Energy is the Title Sponsor of the 72nd AuSable River Canoe Marathon, and is also the sponsor of the AuSable Marathon’s $5,000+ Da$h For Ca$h “canoe drag racing” competition staged Tuesday of Marathon Week in Oscoda.

Regarding their continuing and increased support of the AuSable Marathon, William Schoenlein, Consumers Energy manager of hydro & renewable generation commented, “It is special for Consumers Energy because of our 104 year history on the AuSable and it means a lot to our employees at the hydro plants. We want to see the race continue to thrive and support more people following the race, such as through the use of GPS this year.

Consumers Energy also provides sanitation and bathroom facilities at the hydroelectric dams along the AuSable Marathon course on race night. Please use them and help keep the river clean!

Consumers Energy’s 13 hydroelectric projects are licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; recreational facilities at these sites are open to the public without discrimination.

Consumers Energy, Michigan’s largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.6 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

Their Growing Forward strategy calls for investing more than $6 billion in Michigan over the next five years. That includes significant investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, environmental and customer service enhancements, and new power generation.

The investments make Consumers Energy one of the largest investors in Michigan and will help the utility maintain and improve service to customers, create jobs, boost the state’s economy and expand the state’s tax base.