DTE Energy Plans Rate Hike, Metro Detroit Residents Angry

DETROIT — People from across metro Detroit gathered inside an auditorium at Wayne County Community College in Detroit on Monday to challenge a proposed DTE Energy rate hike.

At the Michigan Public Service Commission Monday hearing, the utility proposed raising $388 million from residential customers, which is an 8.8 percent increase (year-over-year) or a $10 increase per month for consumers.

"I'm asking you, deny this rate increase and let DTE figure it out from inside. Take that $15 million, rearrange it somehow, but don't take it out of our pockets," one angry customer said, according to WXYZ.

DTE said the rate hike is needed to upgrade the grid to provide customers with a more reliable, modern and clean electric grid, according to an email obtained by the Detroit News. The upgrades are urgent, especially after the mass outages from last summer, the utility said.

"DTE is all-in when it comes to solar development," the email read. "In fact, we are pursuing community solar projects in Detroit, Highland Park and River Rouge. That’s why we need to invest in the electric grid to bring on new forms of renewable energy."

In 2020, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved DTE's request to keep energy rates at the same levels until 2022, giving people relief from the COVID-19 pandemic. The last DTE rate hike came in 2019.

But public commenters weren't having it, as many spoke about frequent power outages and their inability to pay their bill right now, NPR reported.

"We should never have to go to an outside to an entity to help us pay our bills," Monique Taylor said. "We can't even pay bus fare to give you, what, just $2? So please do not raise our bills."

The commission was expected to make a decision on the rate hike sometime in November.