Capitol News

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced her intention to intervene in the next DTE Gas rate hike case before the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC). This comes after DTE filed a notice of its intent to seek another increase in natural gas rates, less than a year after its previous $113 million rate hike was approved last November.

The specific amount that DTE will request is not yet known. In its previous case, the company sought to raise residential gas rates by nearly 10% in 2024. A summary of the new request is expected ahead of a formal application, which DTE has indicated it will file in November.

“While we may not know the exact size of this increase yet, history is a good indicator that it will be significant and padded to fill the pockets of shareholders and executives,” Nessel said. “Less than a year ago, DTE won approval for a $113 million gas rate hike, and now they’re already starting the process of asking for more.

“Michigan families should not be treated like an endless ATM, and I will fight – just like I always have – to make sure ratepayers are not forced to shoulder unfair and excessive prices, but at some point, we have to ask when these repeated requests from DTE and Consumers Energy will end or, at the very least, when these requests will begin to reflect any ounce of respect for their ratepayers. Every single time we see these two massive, for-profit companies drag their customers before the Public Service Commission begging permission to squeeze them for more money, the review from my office and experts reveals millions of dollars in unsupported costs. In these cases, we’ve succeeded in making sure utility customers in this state don’t unfairly pay for corporate incentive programs, wasteful and inefficient spending, and even the costs of private jet travel for corporate officeholders.”

Past requests from DTE and Consumers Energy have included costs such as executive private jet travel and other expenditures that were not shown to be reasonable or necessary. Several cases regarding electric and gas rate hikes are currently pending before the MPSC.

Nessel’s office reports that its interventions in utility cases have resulted in nearly $4 billion in savings for Michigan consumers. DTE provides natural gas service to about 1.3 million customers across Michigan.