(WXYZ) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is speaking out after DTE filed a request to increase electric rates by more than $570 million.
The company submitted the rate hike request to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) as early as Feb. 24, 2026. The total requested hike is $574.1 million.
In the filing, DTE said the rate hike is necessary "in order to recover, among other things, Applicant’s continued infrastructure investments to improve the reliability of the grid and to sustain the reliability of its generation fleet while moving toward cleaner sources of generation, including the associated depreciation and property tax increases."
In January, the MPSC approved a rate hike of more than $217 million to upgrade aging power lines and improve reliability. Last year, DTE requested the MPSC approve a $456 million rate hike, but many customers sounded off against the plan.
Watch below from 2024: DTE customers slam proposed rate hike
“At some point, we have to ask how long utility companies like DTE and Consumers Energy will be allowed to treat customer bills and our energy rates like a blank check," Nessel said in a statement.
According to the company's filing, DTE said a typical customer's average electrical bill may be increased by up to $13.50 per month, which totals $162 per year on average.
In 2023, the company requested a $622 million rate hike. In December 2023, the MPSC approved a rate hike of $368 million, a 40% reduction from the requested total.
Residents can submit a public comment on the rate hike request here.
DTE released a statement to 7 News Detroit. It reads:
"DTE Energy is making progress on building the electric grid of the future – when we invest, it works. Thanks to a combination of factors including strategic work and investment in the electric grid last year, our customers experienced a nearly 70% improvement in time spent without power in 2024 compared to 2023. We must continue to invest to deliver the cleaner and more reliable energy our customers demand and deserve. Today’s investment request filed with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) further supports our ongoing work to improve electric reliability and system resiliency in the face of extreme weather and to generate cleaner energy – all while keeping customer bills as low as possible and below the national average.
This filing marks the start of a 10-month process, and DTE customers will not see any adjustments to their bills until the MPSC gives their final order early next year. "
