DTE Energy customers hit by outage will automatically get $42-per-day bill credit, utility says

Thousands of DTE Energy customers in Metro Detroit are still without power days after severe weather struck on Friday, and many are now facing the added financial hit of spoiled food — though some may be eligible for automatic bill credits.

DTE says 95 percent of affected customers will have power restored by the end of Monday, with the remainder expected back online by Tuesday. Trees brought down power lines across the region during Friday night's storms.

For customers who lost refrigerators full of groceries, the financial strain is real.

"People are feeling the pinch of affordability. When you lose a refrigerator full of groceries, that adds to that, you know compounds that affordability crisis," said Erik Nordman, director of the Institute of Public Utilities at Michigan State University.

The question many customers are asking: can they be compensated for those losses?

In 2023, the Michigan Public Service Commission raised the bill credit for extended or frequent power outages to $42 — up from a previous one-time credit of $25. Once an outage qualifies, customers receive $42 per day for every day the outage continues.

Customers do not need to apply. The credit is applied automatically to their bill within 90 days of the event, provided the outage meets the required threshold — either 16 hours or 48 hours, depending on the criteria.

"When there is a power outage that meets those criteria, meets the threshold for 16 hours or 48 hours, then the bill credit is applied automatically," Nordman said. "They're going to keep track of how many people are without power for how long — they'll make the determination. The customer does not need to apply for the credit; they will receive the credit on their bill automatically within 90 days of the event."

DTE acknowledged the credit may not cover everything customers lost.

"We recognize the inconvenience this event has created for those customers," said Brian Calka, senior vice president of distribution operations for DTE Energy. "The $42 credit is actually one of the largest credits of its kind across the country. This was worked in partnership with a number of our stakeholders across the state, as well as our regulatory commission. $42 is a significant increase relative to where that was at before, but at the same time we recognize it might not necessarily cover all of the costs that are tied to the food expiring or what have you due to the outage."

Homeowners and renters with insurance may also be able to file a claim for food loss, though approval depends on the individual provider and policy.

Customers who lost cable or internet service during the storm can request a credit from their provider, but unlike the DTE bill credit, that credit is not automatic — customers must contact their provider directly to ask for it.