“Today, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved yet another rate increase for DTE Energy. I am appalled by the Michigan Public Service Commission’s decision which continues to push the financial burden of long overdue infrastructure upgrades to residents. This is despite DTE recording over $1 billion in net profits last year, and after the company boasted about their $332 Million 2023 Q3 earnings to shareholders.
“The reasoning DTE makes for the largest rate increase ever requested, that it is necessary for infrastructure upgrades, is tired and clearly not made in good faith. This is the same excuse we hear for every rate increase, yet we continue to see more frequent and longer duration power outages because of their decades long lack of investment in the failing grid infrastructure.
“For most families in House District 8, their energy reliability continues to deteriorate despite these empty promises of increased reliability. These rate increases disproportionally impact low-income and fixed- income households, like seniors, the most. DTE’s rate increase will mean increased costs for residents of House District 8, something the district has endured for years without meaningful upgrades or improvements in energy reliability.
“Access to affordable and reliable energy is a human right and increasingly necessary in today’s world. We cannot continue to allow DTE, aided by the Michigan Public Service Commission, to arbitrarily raise rates, which hurts our most vulnerable citizens, while DTE simultaneously gloats about record profits to their shareholders year after year. DTE needs to be reminded that their purpose as a public utility is to provide reliable and affordable energy to Michigan residents.
“I will continue to explore legislative avenues aimed at reevaluating the Michigan Public Service Commission’s approval process and ending the ability of utilities to arbitrarily raise rates.”