Dive Brief:

• Consumers Energy plans to spend $7 billion through 2017 on renewable energy, efficiency, environmental quality and infrastructure with the aim to making the state's air "the cleanest it has been in a generation."
• The plan is outlined in the Jackson, Mich.-based utility's first-ever Accountability Report, which was released Thursday. It says Consumers is on track to meet the state's 10% renewables goal by 2015 as well as the goal of cutting electricity use by 5.5% by 2015.
• Consumers said emissions from its generating plants have fallen significantly since 2007, with mercury emissions expected to drop 83% from 2007 to 2020. 

Dive Insight: 

More utilities should follow Consumers' lead with similar reports of their own. It is very well-designed, easy to understand and provides a very good snapshot of how an investor-owned utility is trying to balance demands to be greener with its duty to shareholders.