LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging the state’s Public Service Commission to significantly cut a rate increase request from DTE Gas Company.
Back in February, Nessel intervened in the company’s filed rate case, when DTE requested a $195 million increase – or more than an 11% increase for residential customers, according to a news release.
Intestimony filed on June 3, Nessel argued that the request is excessive and unreasonable.
Instead, the attorney general says DTE should receive no more than a $19 million annual increase and should distribute those costs so that all customers are paying their fair share.
“Michiganders have been through a lot over the past year-plus, and I want to help make sure ratepayers are not blindsided by large increases in utility bills just when we are starting to see signs of returning to normalcy,” Nessel said. “While I certainly appreciate utility commitments to improve natural gas infrastructure in the state to ensure that our natural gas supply is safe and reliable, unnecessary and excessive expenditures must be avoided. My testimony in this case appropriately balances those concerns and offers a reasonable resolution for all ratepayers.”
DTE provides natural gas to 1.3 million customers across the state and electricity to about 2.2 million customers in Southeast Michigan.
