Officials Weigh DTE's Latest Pay Hike Request; Public Invited To Speak

DETROIT — The Michigan Public Service Commission invited the public to comment on DTE Energy's latest request for a rate hike at a Wednesday night meeting in Detroit.

The utility wants to increase its annul revenues by $456.4 million, which would mean a 10 percent pay increase for customers, according to the attorney general's office.

If approved, the hike would begin in January 2025.

The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. at Mumford High School in Detroit.

DTE Energy said the pay hike is needed to improve the electrical grid and reduce power outages during severe weather events. The utility wants to reduce power outages by 30 percent and cut outage time in half by 2029.

"We know that affordability is key for our customers, so as we invest, we’re committed to working as efficiently as possible, keeping residential bills below the national average and providing assistance to our most vulnerable customers," DTE Energy said in a statement in July.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel argued the increase is "excessive and unnecessary" and said the utility should receive no more than a $139.5 million annual increase. That would limit any rate hike to around 2.5 percent, according to the attorney general's office.

"DTE is once again seeking MPSC approval to bill its customers for corporate jet travel by executives on top of these inflated costs. Such exorbitant expenditures not only inflate customers’ bills but also undermine DTE’s corporate pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Nessel said in July. "These unnecessary costs directly contribute to rising utility bills."