City of Ann Arbor Helps Save DTE Ratepayers Over $1 Billion

Thanks in part to the City of Ann Arbor’s intervention in Michigan Public Service Commission cases, DTE ratepayers have saved over $1 billion across electricity and gas service expenses over the last several years. This success was published in a public memorandum from the City of Ann Arbor Attorney’s Office titled, “Ann Arbor’s Participation in DTE Electric and DTE Gas MPSC Cases Since 2022,” which was made public at the City Council meeting Monday, March 3.

As highlighted in the memorandum, since 2022, the city has taken part in nine different Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) proceedings to not only challenge steep rate increases, but also improve the comprehensive experience of DTE customers, while simultaneously advancing actions that contribute to the city’s A2ZERO carbon neutrality goals. Some of the notable achievements outlined in the memo include:

·       Saving DTE Electric ratepayers over $850 million and DTE Gas ratepayers over $150 million since 2022

·       A directive for DTE Gas to update its Gas Delivery Plan to consider the transition away from fossil gas, and to indicate how it will achieve emissions reduction goals

·       Requirement for DTE Electric to better coordinate with local governments and other utilities, which should lead to cost savings, reduced disruptions to residents, and less damage to infrastructure

·       Requirement for DTE Electric to provide evidence for each-and-every outage credit it attempts to recover from customers

·       Keeping a fixed price option for residents and elimination of unfair termination clauses for commercial and industrial MIGreenPower subscribers

“We want residents to know that the city is deeply committed to fighting for the rights of our ratepayers. We want everyone to have access to clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, and we take our interventions before the Michigan Public Service Commission seriously,” said Dr. Missy Stults, sustainability and innovations director for the City of Ann Arbor.

“When DTE requests a rate increase from the Michigan Public Service Commission, it is supposed to justify its need for increased revenue. Without intervenors like the city, many of DTE’s requests would go unchallenged. We intervene to scrutinize every dollar DTE spends in an attempt to ensure only necessary expenses are passed on to ratepayers,” said Valerie Jackson, assistant city attorney — sustainability for the City of Ann Arbor.

The full memorandum and an in-depth look at the work the city has been advancing through its interventions are available on the City of Ann Arbor website. All of the city’s filings before the Michigan Public Service Commission are publicly available online, along with all other public filings in MPSC dockets. Residents are also welcome to comment on MPSC cases in the dockets for each case.

“Ann Arbor can take great pride in the work that city staff and counsel perform on their behalf,” said Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor. “Legal action before the MPSC doesn’t garner many headlines, but it does provide results — lower prices and better service for everyone in the community.”

These achievements are not all the city is doing to improve electric reliability and resilience in Ann Arbor. Other major initiatives include work on the voter authorized Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), which is in the planning and design stages, as well as support for renewable energy adoption through the city’s Solarize program and the A2ZERO rebate program, which offers incentives to help decarbonize homes throughout the city. Visit a2gov.org/a2seu to learn more about the SEU. Also learn information about city rebates and details about solar offerings. More information about the city’s A2ZERO plan and the bevy of activities the city is undertaking is also featured at www.a2gov.org/sustainability.