Metro Detroit residents are facing potential utility rate hikes as DTE Energy and Consumers Energy seek increases. The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) regulates these privately owned electric utilities, natural gas providers, and pipelines.

Rate Hike Requests

In April, DTE Energy filed for a $474-million rate increase, which was immediately met with a promise to intervene on ratepayers’ behalf by Attorney General Dana Nessel. Nessel said DTE’s request would translate to a 9.7% hike for residential customers, coming only months after a $242.4-million increase was approved by the MPSC in February.

Bills introduced in the Michigan Legislature would limit utility rate hike requests made to the MPSC to once every three years and tie the elimination of property taxes on utilities to a rollback in rates. The MPSC, a three-person public body, oversees the process, with administrative law judges considering requests and hearing from interested parties.

Public Involvement

Public comments on rate cases can be made using the MPSC’s E-Docket system. Intervenors, such as Attorney General Dana Nessel and We Want Green Too, file a petition to intervene with the MPSC to become an official party to the case, receiving documents and automatic notification of events.

Michigan electric utilities have struggled with infrastructure due to fewer customers paying to maintain a grid built for more. Trees and data centers have emerged as contentious issues, with DTE Energy and Consumers Energy aggressively trimming trees to prevent power outages and data centers requiring extreme power needs.

Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.