Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is once again taking on the state’s largest utility, and this time she is drawing a hard line.
DTE Energy has asked the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for a $574 million rate hike, which would mean an 11 percent increase on residential bills. This request comes only three months after DTE already won a $217 million increase. For Michigan families already stretched thin, Nessel says the company is going too far.
In testimony filed on August 25, Nessel urged the MPSC to cut the proposed hike by nearly 75 percent, allowing only a 2.5 percent increase.
“This endless cycle of serial rate hikes must end,” Nessel said. “Michigan families cannot continue footing the bill for corporate profits and executive payouts. What our residents need is reliable, affordable service, not inflated price tags.”
NESSEL’S CASE: FOCUS ON RELIABILITY, NOT PROFITS
Nessel argues that DTE should focus on vegetation management and tree trimming instead of pouring customer dollars into expensive capital projects that benefit executives and shareholders.
She also pointed out that her office has already helped save consumers nearly $4 billion in past utility cases.
“If DTE truly cared about reliability, they would be cutting back trees, not padding balance sheets. Michiganders deserve power that stays on when storms roll in, not higher bills to cover corporate wish lists,” Nessel said.
DTE RESPONDS
DTE rejected Nessel’s claims, insisting that its rates remain competitive.
“Residential bills have only gone up 3 percent over the past four years and remain below the national average,” a DTE spokesperson said.
The company also defended its investments, pointing to $1.5 billion spent on grid improvements and a reported 70 percent improvement in outage duration in 2024.
“We are committed to building a stronger grid and making Michigan’s energy more reliable. These investments are necessary, and our track record shows they are working,” the company said.
WHAT IS AT STAKE
If DTE wins approval, customers will face another double-digit increase in their bills before the end of the year. If Nessel’s position prevails, the increase will be much smaller, limited to about 2.5 percent instead of 11 percent.
For households across Metro Detroit and across the state, the difference is real money. It will decide whether dollars stay in family budgets or flow into DTE’s corporate coffers and bonuses filled with commas.
The MPSC will review the testimony and issue a decision later this year.
BOTTOM LINE: Dana Nessel is making it clear that she will not let utilities steamroll Michigan families. Whether the commission sides with her will determine how much more residents must pay to keep the lights on.
