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                                                                  EXHIBIT 25(b)
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                                    FORM T-1

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                   UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
                    CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

                      CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE
                      ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO
                             SECTION 305(b)(2) |__|



                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK
               (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

New York                                                     13-5160382
(State of incorporation                                      (I.R.S. employer
if not a U.S. national bank)                                 identification no.)

One Wall Street, New York, N.Y.                              10286
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip code)



                            CONSUMERS ENERGY COMPANY
               (Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)


Michigan                                                     38-2726431
(State or other jurisdiction of                              (I.R.S. employer
incorporation or organization)                               identification no.)


212 West Michigan Avenue
Jackson, Michigan                                            49201
(Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip code)

                                  -------------

                             Subordinated Debentures
                       (Title of the indenture securities)

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1.       GENERAL INFORMATION. FURNISH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS TO THE
         TRUSTEE:

         (A) NAME AND ADDRESS OF EACH EXAMINING OR SUPERVISING AUTHORITY TO
WHICH IT IS SUBJECT.



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                  Name                                                    Address
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        Superintendent of Banks of the State of                           2 Rector Street, New York,
        New York                                                          N.Y.  10006, and Albany, N.Y. 12203

        Federal Reserve Bank of New York                                  33 Liberty Plaza, New York,
                                                                          N.Y.  10045

        Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation                             Washington, D.C.  20429

        New York Clearing House Association                               New York, New York   10005


        (B)    WHETHER IT IS AUTHORIZED TO EXERCISE CORPORATE TRUST POWERS.

        Yes.

2.      AFFILIATIONS WITH OBLIGOR.

        IF THE OBLIGOR IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE TRUSTEE, DESCRIBE EACH SUCH
AFFILIATION.

        None.

16.     LIST OF EXHIBITS.

        EXHIBITS IDENTIFIED IN PARENTHESES BELOW, ON FILE WITH THE COMMISSION,
        ARE INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE AS AN EXHIBIT HERETO, PURSUANT TO
        RULE 7A-29 UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 (THE "ACT") AND 17
        C.F.R. 229.10(D).

        1.     A copy of the Organization Certificate of The Bank of New York
               (formerly Irving Trust Company) as now in effect, which contains
               the authority to commence business and a grant of powers to
               exercise corporate trust powers. (Exhibit 1 to Amendment No. 1 to
               Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-6215, Exhibits
               1a and 1b to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No.
               33-21672 and Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration
               Statement No. 33-29637.)

        4.     A copy of the existing By-laws of the Trustee.  (Exhibit 4 to
               Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 33-31019.)

        6.     The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.
               (Exhibit 6 to Form T-1 filed
               with Registration Statement No. 33-44051.)

        7.     A copy of the latest report of condition of the Trustee published
               pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or
               examining authority.


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                                    SIGNATURE



        Pursuant to the requirements of the Act, the Trustee, The Bank of New
York, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New
York, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in The City of New York, and
State of New York, on the 6th day of June, 2001.


                                       THE BANK OF NEW YORK



                                       By:    /s/  THOMAS E. TABOR
                                           ------------------------------------
                                           Name:   THOMAS E. TABOR
                                           Title:  ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT


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                             Exhibit 7 to Form T-1
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                       Consolidated Report of Condition of

                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK

                    of One Wall Street, New York, N.Y. 10286
                     And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,
a member of the Federal Reserve System, at the close of business December 31,
2000, published in accordance with a call made by the Federal Reserve Bank of
this District pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Reserve Act.



                                                                                                Dollar Amounts
ASSETS                                                                                           In Thousands
                                                                                             
Cash and balances due from depository
   institutions:
   Noninterest-bearing balances and currency
     and coin..........................................                                           $3,083,720
   Interest-bearing balances...........................                                            4,949,333
Securities:
   Held-to-maturity securities.........................                                              740,315
   Available-for-sale securities.......................                                            5,328,981
Federal funds sold and Securities purchased
   under agreements to resell..........................                                            5,695,708
Loans and lease financing receivables:
   Loans and leases, net of unearned
     income...............36,590,456
   LESS: Allowance for loan and
     lease losses............598,536
   LESS: Allocated transfer risk
     reserve........................12,575
   Loans and leases, net of unearned income,
     allowance, and reserve............................                                           35,979,345
Trading Assets.........................................                                           11,912,448
Premises and fixed assets (including
   capitalized leases).................................                                              763,241
Other real estate owned................................                                                2,925
Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries
   and associated companies............................                                              183,836
Customers' liability to this bank on
   acceptances outstanding.............................                                              424,303
Intangible assets......................................                                            1,378,477


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Other assets...........................................                                            3,823,797
                                                                                                 -----------
Total assets...........................................                                          $74,266,429
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LIABILITIES
Deposits:
   In domestic offices.................................                                          $28,328,548
   Noninterest-bearing.......................12,637,384
   Interest-bearing..........................15,691,164
   In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement
     subsidiaries, and IBFs............................                                           27,920,690
   Noninterest-bearing..........................470,130
   Interest-bearing..........................27,450,560
Federal funds purchased and Securities sold
   under agreements to repurchase......................                                            1,437,916
Demand notes issued to the U.S.Treasury................                                              100,000
Trading liabilities....................................                                            2,049,818
Other borrowed money:
   With remaining maturity of one year or
     less..............................................                                            1,279,125
   With remaining maturity of more than one
     year through three years..........................                                                    0
   With remaining maturity of more than
     three years.......................................                                               31,080
Bank's liability on acceptances executed and
   outstanding.........................................                                              427,110
Subordinated notes and debentures......................                                            1,646,000
Other liabilities......................................                                            4,604,478
                                                                                                 -----------
Total liabilities......................................                                          $67,824,765
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EQUITY CAPITAL
Common stock...........................................                                            1,135,285
Surplus................................................                                            1,008,775
Undivided profits and capital reserves.................                                            4,308,492
Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on
   available-for-sale securities.......................                                               27,768
Accumulated net gains (losses) on cash flow
   hedges                                                                                                  0
Cumulative foreign currency translation
   adjustments.........................................                                           (   38,656)
                                                                                                 -----------
Total equity capital...................................                                            6,441,664
                                                                                                 -----------
Total liabilities and equity capital...................                                          $74,266,429
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         I, Thomas J. Mastro, Senior Vice President and Comptroller of the
above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has been
prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the Board of Governors
of the Federal Reserve System and is true to the best of my knowledge and
belief.

                                                          Thomas J. Mastro

         We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report
of Condition and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our
knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions
issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and is true and
correct.

                    --
Thomas A. Renyi       |
Alan R. Griffith      |
Gerald L. Hassell     |                            Directors
                    --

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