WHAT?! DTE IS TRYING TO RAISE OUR RATES AGAIN!

DTE Energy is currently seeking approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission (“MPSC”) to raise electric rates for its customers. On Friday, April 26 at 10:00AM the MPSC will host a VIRTUAL pre-hearing on DTE’s electric rate increase proposal. This pre-hearing is public and there will be an opportunity for residents to share a public comment. This is a great chance for us to showcase our opposition to DTE’s rate hike and urge the MPSC to host future hearings on DTE’s rate cases in metro Detroit.  

Our asks:

1) We strongly oppose DTE’s proposed electric rate increase and urge the MPSC to REJECT the request.

2) We demand the MPSC host future hearings in-person in Metro Detroit so that our communities can attend and participate in these proceedings.

WHY IS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST DTE RATE HIKES IMPORTANT?

We will not be able to stop these rate increases by attending one hearing. But, if we show up – and continue to show up – throughout this rate case, we can show the MPSC that the people of Michigan are OPPOSED to yet another increase in DTE’s rates. In a separate proceeding before the MPSC, DTE Gas is also seeking approval from the commission to raise gas rates for customers.

DTE is already making record profits. Rates are already unaffordable and there is a crisis of shutoffs that impacts so many low-income families. Due to utility red-lining, we know that DTE service is already very unreliable particularly in Black, Brown, Indigenous and low-income communities. And we don’t need any more dirty energy sources like natural gas.  

We need a transformation of our energy system to ensure that safe, consistent, and affordable energy is accessible to everyone and democratically controlled by the people. We need an energy system that values people over corporate polluters like DTE. Building a better system requires us to both fight in the short term against ongoing rate hikes that burden our communities and fight in the long-term to dismantle DTE and advance public power.

Public Comment Drafting Worksheet

If this is your first time writing a public comment, that’s amazing we’re so happy you’re writing one! This worksheet is a good place to start your comment – it will allow you to reflect and brainstorm what you’d like to include in your public comment. Then, once you’ve finished this worksheet, you can use the public comment template below to adapt your brainstorm into a final format that can be submitted to the Michigan Public Service Commission online and/or shared on Microsoft Teams during the Commission’s upcoming pre-hearing about DTE proposed electric rate hike.

Template Public Comment

This template can be used to prepare a public comment that can both be submitted online or shared verbally with the MPSC during the pre-hearing virtual meeting

WRITING YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT:

• Your comment should not be more than 1 page. Focus on YOUR story.
• PLEASE: MAKE A COPY OF THIS TEMPLATE and replace the yellow and italics with YOUR OWN WRITING. This is just meant as a guide to help you think and write. Your final public comment should be only your own writing, please remove all the instructions and suggestions.
• The comment that you draft using this template can be verbalized out loud during the MPSC pre-hearing on April 26th at 10 AM on Microsoft Teams and you can share the comment online with the commission here.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Dear Michigan Public Service Commission,

My name is [Insert Your Name Here], I am a resident/student, etc from [city or town]. I have been a DTE customer for XX years.

Share your story and your experiences with the Commission! The MAIN THING you need to talk about in your testimony (written and verbal) is YOUR OWN PERSONAL STORY. Write out 1-3 paragraphs with your and your family’s personal story and struggles with DTE Energy. Below, please find some questions to help draft your testimony – you can also find similar prompts in the testimony writing worksheet. Use whichever format feels best for you, but DO NOT answer these questions one by one, just write out 1-3 paragraphs about yourself.

• Your Story/background: Explain a bit about yourself and your background.

• Where are you from? How long have you or your family been in Michigan? How long have you been in metro-Detroit?  
• Tell them a little about your family. Tell them where you go to school if you are a student. Or what is your job?

• Talk about your family’s experiences with DTE

• Do you ever struggle to afford your monthly DTE bills? Have you ever had to pay your DTE bills late because they were too expensive? Have you ever had to make hard choices about whether to pay your DTE bills or other bills/necessities?
• Have you ever experienced a DTE shut-off for non-payment? If so, how did that impact you and your family?  
• Have you ever experienced a DTE power outage? How did that impact you and your family?

• How would more expensive DTE bills impact you and your family?

• Do you think DTE’s electric bills are affordable? How would raising the rates even more impact you and your family?

Last, close and thank them. Here’s an example:

I am in strong opposition to DTE’s proposed electric rate increase and I strongly urge the Michigan Public Service Commission to stand with the people of Michigan and reject this handout to DTE. I urge the MPSC to host future hearings in-person in Metro Detroit so that myself and my neighbors can attend and provide comment in these proceedings. I also ask that these proceedings include a hybrid option to be accessible to all customers.

Thank you for your time.

Your Full Name