DTE vows 2-year pause on rate hike requests after proposing $474.3 million investment

DTE Energy said on Thursday that it intends to hold off on seeking rate hikes for at least two years after requesting $474.3 million to support the electric grid and power generation.

The utility company plans to submit the latest request to the Michigan Public Service Commission on Tuesday, April 28. If approved, a rate change would not take effect until late February 2027. 

The request comes two months after MPSC approved a $242.4 million investment that went into effect in early March. The company says the $474 million request would also support converting the Belle River Power Plant from coal to natural gas and developing the Trenton Channel Energy Center.

DTE says 2025 saw the company's best reliability performance in nearly 20 years, with the time customers spend without power reduced by 60%.

"Now more than ever, we know affordability matters to our customers – and we're doing everything we can to keep energy bills as low as possible while also providing the reliable power they need," said Joi Harris, president and chief executive officer of DTE Energy. "As long as the first data center project we're supporting comes online as planned by the end of 2027 and we're able to receive other regulatory approvals, we will refrain from filing another rate request until at least 2028—providing customers two years without an increase in rates after the current request is complete."  

The company says the request does not include costs related to its data center contracts in Southeast Michigan. In December, MPSC approved two DTE contracts for the data center in Saline Township, which has received pushback from residents. The company also submitted contracts to support a proposed data center in Van Buren Township.

DTE says its two data center contracts will contribute nearly $9 billion to improving the electric system through 2045.