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CMS ENERGY CORP

For the period ended Mar 31, 2026. Filed Apr 28, 2026.

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A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.

Mar 31, 2026 · Filed Apr 28, 2026

CMS$69.55+0.5%Stored close · as of Nov 9, 2026

Extracted filing text, with the paragraph anchors used by the comparison.

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Contents

12: Variable Interest Entities

Consolidated VIEs: NorthStar Clean Energy consolidates entities that it does not wholly own, but for which it manages and controls the entities’ operating activities. NorthStar Clean Energy is the primary beneficiary of these entities because it has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the companies, as well as the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the companies. Presented in the following table is information about the VIEs NorthStar Clean Energy consolidates:

Consolidated VIENorthStar Clean Energy’s ownership interestDescription of VIE
Aviator Wind Equity Holdings51-percent ownership interest1Holds a Class B membership interest in Aviator Wind
Aviator WindClass B membership interest2Holding company of a 525-MW wind generation project in Coke County, Texas
BG Solar Holdings3Class B membership interest2Holding company of a 200-MW solar generation project in Branch County, Michigan
Delta Solar Equity Holdings50-percent ownership interest1Holding company of a 24-MW solar generation project in Delta Township, Michigan
Newport Solar HoldingsClass B membership interest2Holding company of a 180‑MW solar generation project in Jackson County, Arkansas
NWO Wind Equity Holdings50 percent ownership interest1Holds a Class B membership interest in NWO Holdco
NWO HoldcoClass B membership interest2Holding company of a 100-MW wind generation project in Paulding County, Ohio

1 The remaining ownership interest is presented as noncontrolling interest on CMS Energy’s consolidated balance sheets.

2 The Class A membership interest in the entity is held by a tax equity investor and is presented as noncontrolling interest on CMS Energy’s consolidated balance sheets. Under the associated limited liability company agreement, the tax equity investor is guaranteed preferred returns from the entity.

3 During 2025, 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 remaining portion of the project was placed into service for tax purposes during 2026, and the tax equity investor recognized a deemed contribution of $82 million. The tax equity investor will contribute additional amounts upon commercial operation of the project in 2026.

Earnings, tax attributes, and cash flows generated by the entities in which NorthStar Clean Energy holds a Class B membership are allocated among and distributed to the membership classes in accordance with the ratios specified in the associated limited liability company agreements; these ratios change over time and are not representative of the ownership interest percentages of each membership class. Since these entities’ income and cash flows are not distributed among their investors based on ownership interest percentages, NorthStar Clean Energy allocates the entities’ income (loss) among the investors by applying the hypothetical liquidation at book value method. This method calculates each investor’s earnings based on a hypothetical liquidation of the entities at the net book value of underlying assets as of the balance sheet date. The liquidation tax gain (loss) is allocated to each investor’s capital account, resulting in income (loss) equal to the period change in the investor’s capital account balance.

Presented in the following table are the carrying values of the VIEs’ assets and liabilities included on CMS Energy’s consolidated balance sheets:

In Millions
March 31, 2026December 31, 2025
Current
Cash and cash equivalents$45$20
Restricted cash1919
Accounts receivable112642
Prepayments and other current assets175
Non-current
Plant, property, and equipment, net1,0261,037
Construction work in progress360357
Other non-current assets65
Total assets2$1,599$1,485
Current
Current portion of long-term debt and finance leases$138$65
Accounts payable2129
Non-current
Long-term debt88118
Non-current portion of finance leases3939
AROs3938
Other non-current liabilities33
Total liabilities$328$292

1 Primarily associated with sales of investment tax credits.

2 Assets may be used only to meet VIEs’ obligations and commitments.

NorthStar Clean Energy is obligated under certain indemnities that protect the tax equity investors against losses incurred as a result of breaches of representations and warranties under the associated limited liability company agreements. For additional details on these indemnity obligations, see Note 3, Contingencies and Commitments—Guarantees.

Consumers’ wholly-owned subsidiaries, Consumers 2014 Securitization Funding and Consumers 2023 Securitization Funding, are VIEs designed to collateralize Consumers’ securitization bonds. These entities are considered VIEs primarily because their equity capitalization is insufficient to support their operations. Consumers is the primary beneficiary of and consolidates these VIEs, as it has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the companies, as well as the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the companies. The VIEs’ primary assets and liabilities comprise non-current regulatory assets and long-term debt. The carrying value of the regulatory assets on Consumers’ consolidated balance sheets was $520 million at March 31, 2026 and $549 million at December 31, 2025. The carrying value of securitization bonds on Consumers’ consolidated balance sheets was $540 million at March 31, 2026 and $585 million at December 31, 2025.

Non-consolidated VIEs: NorthStar Clean Energy has variable interests in T.E.S. Filer City, Grayling, Genesee, and Craven. While NorthStar Clean Energy owns 50 percent of each partnership, it is not the primary beneficiary of any of these partnerships because decision making is shared among unrelated parties, and no one party has the ability to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entities’

economic performance, such as operations and maintenance, plant dispatch, and fuel strategy. The partners must agree on all major decisions for each of the partnerships.

Presented in the following table is information about these partnerships, which are accounted for using the equity method:

NameNature of the EntityNature of CMS Energy’s Involvement
T.E.S. Filer CityCoal-fueled power generatorLong-term PPA between partnership and Consumers
Employee assignment agreement
GraylingWood waste-fueled power generatorLong-term PPA between partnership and Consumers
Reduced dispatch agreement with Consumers1
Operating and management contract
GeneseeWood waste-fueled power generatorLong-term PPA between partnership and Consumers
Reduced dispatch agreement with Consumers1
Operating and management contract
CravenWood waste-fueled power generatorOperating and management contract

1 Reduced dispatch agreements allow the facilities to be dispatched based on the market price of power compared with the cost of production of the plants. This results in fuel cost savings that each partnership shares with Consumers’ customers.

The creditors of these partnerships do not have recourse to the general credit of CMS Energy, NorthStar Clean Energy, or Consumers. NorthStar Clean Energy’s maximum risk exposure to these partnerships is generally limited to its investment in the partnerships, which is included in investments on CMS Energy’s consolidated balance sheets in the amount of $55 million at March 31, 2026 and $54 million at December 31, 2025.

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