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Michigan Attorney General pushes back against DTE gas rate increase

Front entrance of DTE Energy in Michigan.
(ehrlif / Shutterstock.com)
  • DTE Gas Company is seeking a $266 million rate increase 
  • Michigan Attorney General has paused the process asking for evidence to support the increase
  • The company was hoping the increase would be approved and take effect by November

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has intervened in DTE’s request for rate increase that could see DTE gas customers paying 10 percent more a month.

DTE Gas Company is seeking a $266 million rate increase from the Michigan Public Service Commission. The company in December implemented a $368 million rate increase for DTE Electric Co., which increased customer monthly bills by an average of $6.51.

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“My team and its experts will carefully examine DTE’s requested increases and strongly object to any that are unreasonable or are more aligned to shareholder benefits than ensuring ratepayers can keep their homes warm all winter,” Nessel said in a press statement. “I remain concerned about the clear pattern of repeated rate increases that come before the Commission, one right after the last.”  

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DTE provides gas to over 1 million customers across the state and electricity to roughly 2 million customers in Southeast Michigan. The company said it hasn’t raised gas rates since 2021, when the MSPC approved a hike that increased customer bills by $3.18.

The company said the increase is needed to make more investments in infrastructure, customer safety and technology, According to the application filed with the MPSC.

They're asking for a new rate to take effect starting Nov.5. A pre-hearing in front of an administrative law judge for the case is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Nessel advised the commission against approving DTE’s requests, asking that the company provide evidence to support the rate increase. 

“The Commission should not approve DTE Gas's requests without first developing an evidentiary record,” Nessel said, asking that the company provide evidence to support the rate increase.

In December, the MPSC approved a $368 million rate increase for DTE Electric Co., which increased customer monthly bills by an average of $6.51.

This story has been corrected to clarify that AG Nessel is an intervenor in the DTE gas rate hike request and as such she has not put the process on hold. The MPSC is an independent government agency .

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