CMS ENERGY CORP

CMS Energy Consolidated Results of Operations

Presented in the following table is a summary of changes to net income available to common stockholders for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024:

1 See Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1, Regulatory Matters.

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 the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024:

1 For the three months ended September 30, deliveries to end-use customers were 10.4 billion kWh in 2025 and 10.1 billion kWh in 2024. For the nine months ended September 30, deliveries to end-use customers were 28.4 billion kWh in 2025 and 28.0 billion kWh in 2024.

2 See Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1, Regulatory Matters.

3 See Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 7, 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 the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024:

1 For the three months ended September 30, deliveries to end-use customers were 30 Bcf in 2025 and 28 Bcf in 2024. For the nine months ended September 30, deliveries to end-use customers were 213 Bcf in 2025 and 186 Bcf in 2024.

2 In April 2024, Consumers sold its unregulated ASP business to a non-affiliated company, resulting in a $110 million gain. In July 2024, the MPSC approved the utilization of $27.5 million, or one-fourth, of the gain on the sale as an offset to the revenue deficiency in lieu of additional rate relief during the 12‑month period beginning October 1, 2024, with the remaining three-fourths of the gain, or $82.5 million, to be credited to customers as a bill credit over a three-year period beginning October 1, 2024.

3 See Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 7, 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 the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024:

1 Reflects timing of achieving commercial operation during the nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024.

2 Reflects planned major outage at DIG during the nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024.

Corporate Interest and Other Results of Operations

Presented in the following table are the detailed changes to corporate interest and other results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024:

Cash Position, Investing, and Financing

At September 30, 2025, CMS Energy had $432 million of consolidated cash and cash equivalents, which included $70 million of restricted cash and cash equivalents. At September 30, 2025, Consumers had $311 million of consolidated cash and cash equivalents, which included $69 million of restricted cash and cash equivalents.

Operating Activities

Presented in the following table are specific components of net cash provided by operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024:

1 Non‑cash transactions comprise depreciation and amortization, changes in deferred income taxes and investment tax credits, and other non‑cash operating activities and reconciling adjustments.

2 Core working capital comprises accounts receivable, accrued revenue, inventories, accounts payable, and accrued rate refunds.

3 See Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1, Regulatory Matters.

Investing Activities

Presented in the following table are specific components of net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024:

Financing Activities

Presented in the following table are specific components of net cash provided by financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 versus 2024:

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 Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 3, Financings and Capitalization—Dividend Restrictions. During the nine months ended September 30, 2025, Consumers paid $649 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 nine months ended September 30, 2025, CMS Energy settled forward sale contracts issued under this program, resulting in net proceeds of$349 million. An additional settlement in October 2025 resulted in net proceeds of$147 million. Following these settlements, CMS Energy has $8 million in outstanding forward contracts under the program, maturing through 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 September 30, 2025, CMS Energy had $515 million of its revolving credit facility available, NorthStar Clean Energy had $62 million available under its revolving credit facility, and Consumers had $1.2 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 September 30, 2025, there were no commercial paper notes outstanding under this program.

For additional details about these programs and facilities, see Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 3, 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 September 30, 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 September 30, 2025, as presented in the following table:

1 Applies to CMS Energy’s revolving credit agreement and letter of credit reimbursement agreement.

2 Applies to NorthStar Clean Energy’s revolving credit agreement.

3 The 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 September 30, 2025.

4 Applies to Consumers’ revolving credit agreements and letter of credit reimbursement agreement.

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 has taken 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; Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1, Regulatory Matters and Note 2, Contingencies and Commitments; and Item 1A. Risk Factors in the 2024 Form 10-K.

Consumers Electric Utility Outlook and Uncertainties

Energy Transformation: Consumers’ Clean Energy Plan details its long-term strategy for delivering safe, reliable, affordable, clean, and equitable energy to its customers. Coupled with Consumers’ renewable energy plan, the Clean Energy Plan will be Consumers’ blueprint to meeting the requirements of the 2023 Energy Law. Among other things, this law:

•raised the renewable energy standard from the present 15‑percent requirement to 50 percent by 2030 and 60 percent by 2035

•set 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, are considered clean energy sources under this standard

•created a new energy storage standard that requires electric utilities to file plans by 2029 to obtain new energy storage that will contribute to a Michigan target of 2,500 MW based on their pro rata share

While Consumers’ existing Clean Energy Plan, established under Michigan’s integrated resource planning process, provides a path towards meeting these requirements, Consumers will file updates to the plan in 2026 to expand and solidify that path. Additionally, Consumers filed updates to its renewable energy plan to achieve the increased renewable energy standard; the MPSC approved updates in September 2025. Together, these plans will enable Consumers to achieve 60‑percent renewable energy by 2035 and 100‑percent clean energy by 2040. Also through its Clean Energy Plan, Consumers continues to make progress on expanding its customer programs, namely its demand response, energy efficiency, and conservation voltage reduction programs, as well as increasing its renewable energy generation.

The strategy outlined in Consumers’ Clean Energy Plan includes ending the use of coal in owned generation in 2025. 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 had planned to retire J.H. Campbell, totaling 1,407 MW of nameplate capacity, in May 2025. The MPSC authorized regulatory asset treatment for Consumers to recover the remaining book value of these units, as well as a 9.0‑percent return on equity, commencing upon their planned retirement.

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. The order 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 the U.S. Department of Energy regulations, the order authorizes Consumers to obtain cost recovery at FERC. As directed, Consumers continued to make J.H. Campbell available in the MISO market and 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 issued an order granting Consumers’ requested relief and ordered MISO to file a revised tariff, which MISO filed in September 2025 and is pending at FERC. For additional discussion of this FERC proceeding, see Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1, Regulatory Matters.

On August 20, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of Energy issued a second emergency order requiring J.H. Campbell to continue operating for another 90 days, through November 19, 2025. Consumers is complying with the August 2025 emergency order and will seek recovery of its compliance costs at a later date, consistent with rate recovery sought for the May 2025 emergency order.

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. Department of Energy to reconsider the May 2025 emergency order. In July 2025, after the U.S. Department 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 2025 order are underway. The U.S. Department 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.

In order to continue providing controllable sources of electricity to customers while expanding its investment in renewable energy, Consumers purchased the Covert Generating Station, a natural gas-fueled generating facility with 1,200 MW of nameplate capacity, in 2023.

In September 2025, Consumers entered into a PPA with the MCV Partnership for the purchase of up to 1,240 MW of capacity and associated energy from the MCV Facility. The agreement is effective from June 1, 2030 through May 31, 2040. Under the terms of the agreement, Consumers will pay a monthly capacity charge of $5.00 per MWh of available capacity. Energy payments include a fixed component designed to recover non-fuel operating costs and a variable component based on the MCV Partnership’s cost of production for energy delivered to Consumers. The agreement, which is subject to MPSC approval, supports Consumers’ ongoing resource adequacy and energy supply planning efforts.

Consumers has also contracted to purchase 700 MW of capacity from battery storage facilities, which will be located in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and are expected to be operational by 2028. In an April 2025 report, the MPSC Staff indicated that Consumers’ share of the 2,500‑MW statewide energy storage target established by the 2023 Energy Law is 817 MW.

Under its Clean Energy Plan, Consumers bids new capacity and energy competitively and the actual composition of Consumers’ future portfolio will reflect the results of that competitive bid process. Consumers earns a return equal to its pre-tax weighted-average cost of capital on permanent capital structure on payments made under new clean, renewable, or energy storage PPAs with non-affiliated entities.

Currently, over 15 percent of the electricity Consumers supplies to customers comes from renewable energy sources. Under its renewable energy plan, Consumers has acquired three wind generation projects, totaling 517 MW of nameplate capacity, since 2020; the last of these projects became operational in 2023. The MPSC authorized Consumers to earn a 10.7‑percent return on equity on these projects. The MPSC also approved the execution of a 20‑year PPA under which Consumers will purchase 100 MW of renewable capacity, energy, and renewable energy credits from a solar generating facility that began operations in October 2024.

Consumers’ updates to its renewable energy plan, which were approved by the MPSC in September 2025, include up to 2,800 MW of new, competitively bid wind energy resources and up to 9,000 MW of both purchased and owned solar energy resources. Of the proposed solar energy resources, 1,060 MW will support Consumers’ voluntary green pricing program that provides full-service electric customers with the opportunity to advance the development of renewable energy beyond present state requirements.

Presented in the following illustration is the aggregate renewable capacity that Consumers expects to add to its portfolio through PPAs and owned generation proposed in its existing Clean Energy Plan and the updates to its renewable energy plan:

Consumers continues to evaluate the acquisition of additional capacity from intermittent resources and dispatchable, non‑intermittent clean capacity resources (including battery storage resources). Any resulting contracts are subject to MPSC approval.

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 2024. 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 September 30, 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 requests 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, which must be filed within 60 days of signing. 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 September 30, 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 Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1, Regulatory Matters and Note 2, 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.

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:

The MPSC must issue a final order in this case before or in April 2026.

Retention Incentive Program: Under its Clean Energy Plan, Consumers had planned to retire J.H. Campbell in 2025. In order to ensure necessary staffing at J.H. Campbell through the planned retirement, Consumers implemented a retention incentive program. The terms of and Consumers’ obligations under this program have not been modified as a result of the U.S. Secretary of Energy’s emergency orders requiring the continued operation of J.H. Campbell. Consumers will make final payments due under this retention plan in November 2025. The aggregate cost of the J.H. Campbell program is estimated to be $48 million; Consumers expects to recognize $5 million of retention benefit costs in 2025. The MPSC has approved deferred accounting treatment for these costs; these expenses are deferred as a regulatory asset. Should the U.S. Department of Energy issue additional emergency orders that require the continued operation of J.H. Campbell beyond November 2025, Consumers is prepared to implement additional retention measures to ensure appropriate staffing levels. For additional details on this program, see Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 12, Exit Activities and Asset Sales. For additional details on the emergency orders, see Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1, 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 $240 million from 2025 through 2029 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. Since its 2015 effective date, CSAPR has been revised several times. In 2023, the EPA published the Good Neighbor Plan, a revision to CSAPR. This regulation tightens emission allowance budgets for electric generating units in Michigan between 2023 and 2029 and changes the mechanism for allocating such allowances on a year-over-year basis beginning in 2026. In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the Good Neighbor Plan pending judicial review and, as a result, the allowance requirements for Michigan reverted back to the prior effective CSAPR ozone season rule. Regardless of the outcome of this litigation and which version of the rule applies, Consumers expects this regulation will 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. None of Consumers’ fossil-fuel-fired generating units are located in these areas.

In March 2024, the EPA published a lower fine particulate matter NAAQS, which will likely result in newly designated nonattainment areas in Michigan starting in 2026. EGLE has proposed nonattainment areas for Kalamazoo and Wayne counties. 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 assets or its clean energy strategy. Consumers will continue to monitor NAAQS rulemakings and litigation to evaluate potential impacts to its generating assets.

In December 2024, the EPA published a proposal to amend new source performance standards for new, modified, and reconstructed stationary combustion turbines to lower emission limits for NOx. This may impact future gas-fueled, simple-cycle turbine projects. Consumers, in conjunction with industry stakeholder groups, submitted comments on the proposed rule and will continue monitoring this rulemaking.

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 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.

In 2020, Michigan’s Governor signed an executive order creating the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan, which outlines goals for Michigan to achieve economy-wide net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and to be carbon neutral by 2050. The executive order aims for a 28‑percent reduction below 2005 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. Consumers has already surpassed the 28‑percent reduction milestone for its owned electric generation. The 2023 Energy Law codifies much of the Governor’s goals. For additional details on the 2023 Energy Law, see the Planet section of the Executive Overview.

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 Clean Energy Plan, its present net-zero 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. A direct final rule extending the compliance milestone schedule was issued and then withdrawn by the EPA; the rule has since been republished for notice and comment. 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. In 2020, the EPA revised previous guidelines related to the discharge of certain wastewater, but allowed for extension of the compliance deadline from the end of 2023 to the end of 2025, upon approval by EGLE through the NPDES permitting process. Consumers received such an extension for J.H. Campbell. In April 2024, the EPA released a final rule updating its effluent limitation guidelines for existing coal-fueled units. This rule regulates additional wastewater streams previously not regulated, including combustion residual leachate and legacy wastewater. Consumers has 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 Clean Energy 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 Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 2, 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 2024. 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 Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1, Regulatory Matters and Note 2, Contingencies and Commitments.

2024 Gas Rate Case: In December 2024, Consumers filed an application with the MPSC seeking an annual rate increase of $248 million based on a 10.25‑percent authorized return on equity for the projected 12‑month period ending October 31, 2026. In July 2025, Consumers revised its requested increase to $217 million. 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 become effective in November 2025.

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 distribution systems and leak detection and repair, 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 Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 2, 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. Consumers will continue to monitor NAAQS rulemakings 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 will likely result in newly designated nonattainment areas in Michigan starting in 2026. EGLE has proposed nonattainment areas for Kalamazoo and Wayne counties. 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. This change could result in inconsistent approaches in greenhouse gas accounting for industrial sources.

In 2020, Michigan’s Governor signed an executive order creating the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan, which outlines goals for Michigan to achieve economy-wide net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and to be carbon neutral by 2050. The executive order aims for a 28‑percent reduction below 2005 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. For additional details on the executive order, see Consumers Electric Utility Outlook and Uncertainties—Electric Environmental Outlook.

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 nearly 30 percent.

In 2022, Consumers also announced a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target for its entire natural gas system by 2050. This includes suppliers and customers, and has an interim goal of reducing customer 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 two 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. 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 1,655 MW of capacity, and to pursue opportunities for the development of renewable generation projects.

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 Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 2, 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. Since its 2015 effective date, CSAPR has been revised several times. In 2023, the EPA published the Good Neighbor Plan, a revision to CSAPR. This regulation tightens emission allowance budgets for electric generating units in Michigan between 2023 and 2029 and changes the mechanism for allocating such allowances on a year-over-year basis beginning in 2026. In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the Good Neighbor Plan pending judicial review and, as a result, the allowance requirements for Michigan reverted back to the prior effective CSAPR ozone season rule. Under the 2023 revision, NorthStar Clean Energy could incur increased costs to purchase allowances or retrofit equipment.

In March 2024, the EPA published a lower fine particulate matter NAAQS, which will likely result in newly designated nonattainment areas in Michigan starting in 2026. EGLE has proposed nonattainment areas for Kalamazoo and Wayne counties. 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 December 2024, the EPA published a proposal to amend new source performance standards for new, modified, and reconstructed stationary combustion turbines to lower emission limits for NOx. This may impact future gas-fueled, simple-cycle turbine projects. NorthStar Clean Energy will monitor this rulemaking.

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 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

Union Contract: The UWUA represents Consumers’ operating, maintenance, construction, and customer contact center employees. In May 2025, Consumers and the UWUA ratified a new five-year contract for its operating, maintenance, and construction bargaining unit. In July 2025, Consumers and the UWUA ratified a new five-year contract with customer contact center employees. In September 2025, Consumers and the United Steelworkers labor union ratified a new five-year contract for its Zeeland plant bargaining unit.

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. Based on guidance available to date, 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 Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 1, Regulatory Matters and Note 2, Contingencies and Commitments.

New Accounting Standards

There are no new accounting standards issued but not yet effective that are expected to have a material impact on CMS Energy’s or Consumers’ consolidated financial statements.