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[CMS ENERGY LOGO]                                     NEWS RELEASE

              CMS ENERGY ANNOUNCES NOMINEES FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
                       TWO DIRECTORS RETIRING FROM BOARD,
                     AND ADOPTION OF MAJORITY VOTING POLICY

               JACKSON, Mich., April 14, 2006 -- Ten incumbents are seeking
reelection to CMS Energy's Board of Directors, one interim appointee is seeking
his first election by shareholders, and two directors are retiring from the
board, the Company announced today in its proxy statement.

               The incumbents seeking reelection are Kenneth Whipple, chairman
of CMS Energy and its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy, and David W. Joos,
president and chief executive officer of CMS Energy and chief executive officer
of Consumers Energy, as well as the following independent directors: Merribel S.
Ayres, Richard M. Gabrys, Philip R. Lochner Jr., Michael T. Monahan, Joseph F.
Paquette Jr., Percy A. Pierre, Kenneth L. Way, and John B. Yasinsky.

               Seeking shareholder election for the first time is Jon E.
Barfield, chairman and chief executive officer of The Bartech Group. Barfield
was appointed to the Company's Board of Directors on Sept. 1, 2005. He also
serves on the boards of four other publicly traded companies: National City
Corporation, Tecumseh Products Company, BMC Software, and Granite Broadcasting
Corporation.

               The Company also announced that Earl D. Holton and S. Kinnie
Smith Jr. are not standing for re-election, and in connection with those
retirements, the Board decreased its size to 11 directors, effective with the
2006 annual meeting of shareholders.

               Holton is the former vice chairman of Grand Rapids, Mich.-based
Meijer Inc., operator of food and general merchandise centers. Holton has been a
member of the CMS Energy Board of Directors for 16 years and has served as the
presiding director for the past three years.


               Smith is the vice chairman and chief legal officer of CMS Energy
and also serves as vice chairman of Consumers Energy. Smith has held a number of
top management positions during his 13-year career with the Company.

               Shareholders will vote on the candidates for the Board of
Directors at CMS Energy's annual meeting on May 19, 2006.

               The proxy statement also announces a majority voting policy
adopted in March of this year by the CMS Energy Board of Directors. With that
new policy, if any candidate doesn't receive at least 50 percent of the votes
cast for him or her, that director will be required to offer his or her
resignation to the Board. The other members of the Board will decide within 90
days of a certified vote whether to accept the offer or reject it. The Company
publicly will disclose the Board's decision, including its reasons for rejecting
the resignation, if that occurs.

               The Company's majority voting policy is available at
www.cmsenergy.com/CorporateGovernance and additional background on the Board's
adoption of the policy can be found in the proxy statement, which is available
at www.cmsenergy.com/Invest, under "SEC Filings."

               CMS Energy Chairman Ken Whipple said the majority voting policy
will make the Board of Directors even more accountable to shareholders. "This
new policy gives shareholders a stronger voice in the election of directors. The
Board's unanimous adoption of this new policy shows that CMS Energy remains
committed to being a leader in corporate governance," Whipple said.

               Shareholders also will be asked to vote on a proposal ratifying
Ernst & Young, L.L.P., as the Company's independent registered public accounting
firm for 2006.

               CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is an integrated energy company, which has
as its primary business operations an electric and natural gas utility, natural
gas pipeline systems, and independent power generation.

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For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our web site at:
www.cmsenergy.com

Media Contacts:  Jeff Holyfield, 517/788-2394 or Dan Bishop, 517/788-2395

Investment Analyst Contact:  CMS Energy Investor Relations, 517/788-2590