As Michiganders brace themselves for the colder months, a new potential hike in natural gas rates looms on the horizon courtesy of DTE Energy. Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel is stepping up once more, promising to take action against what could be another financial burden on the state's residents. Nessel has a track record of intervening in utility rate cases and is ready to battle it out with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) yet again.
In an announcement reported by the Michigan Attorney General's office, DTE Energy has signaled its intentions to request an increase in natural gas rates. This move comes less than a year after the utility company secured a $113 million rate hike. "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 commented on the potential rate hike.
The specifics of DTE's rate increase request are not yet public, but the company is expected to submit a summary before the formal application in November. Nessel's office has been vigilant in scrutinizing past rate hike proposals, revealing millions in costs that they considered unsupported, such as private jet travel for DTE's executives. These findings have been crucial in past proceedings before the MPSC, potentially saving Michigan consumers nearly $4 billion.
Incidents of utility companies, including questionable expenses in their rate hike proposal, are not new. Both DTE and Consumers Energy, in their recent requests, have faced criticisms for including charges for executive perks like private jets. According to the AG's office, these private jet travels and other unsupported expenses are deemed neither reasonable nor prudent. Such revelations highlight the continued vigilance necessary in evaluating the claims of utility behemoths who, in the words of Nessel, seem to treat their customers like an "endless ATM."
