JACKSON, Mich. — Consumers Energy announced that it awarded nearly $3.7 million in incentives to commercial and industrial customers in the third quarter of 2012 to help fund 996 energy efficiency projects that will provide long-term savings.

These projects are saving the 959 participating customers an estimated $3.9 million in energy costs annually, said Consumers Energy. The energy saved through the projects is enough to serve more than 5,000 residential electric customers and nearly 800 residential natural gas customers for a year.