DTE starts process for requesting electric rate hikes in spring 2027
Even before the 2026 electricity rate hike takes effect, DTE has started the process of asking State of Michigan officials for rate increases to take effect in 2027.
DTE, which provides electricity for much of Southeast Michigan, sent a notice this week to the Michigan Public Service Commission, indicating that it will file a formal application this April for rates that take effect in March 2027.
The amount that will be requested for that time frame has not been made public.
This letter was filed before customers see the increases that have already been approved.
As of March 5, the typical residential customer using 500 kilowatt hours per month will see an increase of $4.93 or 4.6% in their monthly electric bill when the new rates take effect on March 5. This step will add up to an estimated $242.4 million in additional revenue for DTE.
This rate hike is separate from the transaction fees that DTE has imposed starting March 2 for those who use debit or credit cards to pay online or autopay their bills. Residential customers will have a $2.99 transaction fee for such payments, and commercial accounts will face a $9.99 transaction fee for such payments.
DTE provided the following statement in response to a query from CBS News Detroit about the 2027 application:
"DTE Energy's recent investments in the electric system resulted in 2025 being the most reliable year for customers in nearly two decades - there was a 60% reduction in the time spent without power on top of the nearly 70% reduction achieved in 2024, with significantly fewer power interruptions and faster restoration when outages do occur. In the face of increasingly extreme weather and to deliver on the commitment to improve reliability, the company must continue to invest to deliver the energy our customers demand and deserve. Our upcoming filing in late April will be the start of a 10-month process - a rate adjustment will not occur until 2027."
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said her office is monitoring the situation.
"It's astonishing that our current system allows DTE to announce their next rate hike case less than one week after locking in a $242 million rate hike, all while the utility projects record profits," Nessel said. "How many times are Michigan families expected to reach deeper into their pockets to bankroll record profits and shareholder dividends for DTE and Consumers Energy's Wall Street investors, while reliability and affordability remain out of reach? The Michigan Public Service Commission must wake up to the impacts their constant rate hike approvals are having on utility ratepayers across our state."
The above video originally aired on Jan. 7, 2026.
