Lead
Updated Feb. 27, 2026 — Lansing: DTE Energy told Michigan regulators it intends to file for another increase in the electric rates it charges state customers, filing paperwork that attorneys say will be submitted around April 27. The announcement came days after the Michigan Public Service Commission approved a $242 million increase, equivalent to about a 4.6% rise for a typical DTE electric customer. DTE said the new application will start a roughly 10-month regulatory process and that any approved change would not take effect until 2027. State officials, consumer advocates and candidates have responded sharply to the timing and frequency of the filings.
Key Takeaways
- DTE plans to file a formal electric rate case around April 27, 2026; the company says the review will span about 10 months and any change would take effect in 2027.
- The Michigan Public Service Commission approved a $242 million increase on Feb. 24, 2026, representing about a 4.6% rise for a typical DTE electric customer.
- DTE serves roughly 2.3 million electric customers in southeast Michigan, according to the commission.
- DTE reported nearly $1.5 billion in 2025 earnings, up from $1.4 billion in 2024, figures the company cited when discussing shareholder value and investments.
- Michigan law allows utilities to file new rate cases every 12 months; a bill by Sen. Kevin Hertel would extend that window to three years if enacted.
- Attorney General Dana Nessel called the timing “astonishing,” arguing repeated filings shift costs to ratepayers while investors benefit.
- Consumers Energy CEO Garrick Rochow defended more frequent filings as a way to pass savings through and smooth increases over time.
Background
Rate cases in Michigan are governed by state statute and overseen by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), a three-member panel charged with determining whether proposed increases are just and reasonable. Commissioners are appointed by the governor; the current panel was selected by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Under current law utilities may initiate new rate cases once every 12 months, a cadence critics say has contributed to rising consumer costs.
Electric prices for Michigan residential customers have risen substantially over the past two decades. A January Detroit News investigation found residential electricity prices in Michigan more than doubled over 20 years, outpacing inflation and increases in most other states. Utilities and regulators distinguish between the statutory rate (price per kilowatt-hour) and customers’ bills, which vary with usage patterns and regional climate differences that affect heating and cooling demand.
Main Event
On Feb. 24, 2026 the MPSC voted to approve a $242 million increase for DTE Electric; five days later DTE filed notice that it will seek another rate adjustment and signaled a formal application will be lodged around April 27. DTE did not specify the magnitude of the next requested increase in the filing that announced the upcoming case. Company attorneys described the April filing as the formal start of the review process required by the commission.
DTE executives framed the prior approval as necessary to sustain investments that improved reliability. Matt Paul, president and COO of DTE Electric, said the $242 million decision supported projects that made 2025 the most reliable year for customers in nearly two decades and that the company aims to limit bill growth. A DTE spokeswoman, Jill Wilmot, reiterated the company will “continue to invest to deliver the energy our customers demand and deserve” and emphasized the timing of the regulatory schedule.
Attorney General Dana Nessel publicly criticized the quick turnaround between filings, calling the system that allows annual cases “astonishing” and urging the commission to consider ratepayers’ affordability. Political figures and candidates across the state also reacted: Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Leonard said he would remove commissioners if they approve another increase, while Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed argued the pattern shows corporate priorities over consumers.
Separately, DTE reported financial results on Feb. 17 showing 2025 earnings near $1.5 billion, up from $1.4 billion in 2024. Company leaders and investor presentations have defended frequent filings as a tool to recover costs and maintain cash flows needed for capital programs; critics counter that the frequency enables continuous upward pressure on rates and bills.
Analysis & Implications
Frequency of filings matters because each approved increase alters the trajectory of household energy costs. Under a 12-month filing window utilities may pursue regular incremental adjustments; some industry executives argue this smooths recovery of investments and can pass savings through sooner, while consumer advocates say it reduces stability and compounds year-to-year bill growth. If Michigan were to adopt a multi-year window, as proposed in Sen. Hertel’s bill, utilities and regulators would need to reconcile longer ratemaking periods with capital spending plans and investor expectations.
The juxtaposition of rising utility earnings and consecutive rate filings raises political and regulatory questions about who bears the burden of infrastructure spending. DTE emphasizes investments that support reliability and grid modernization; opponents point to growing residential electricity prices over two decades and warn that repeated approvals shift more cost onto ratepayers. The near-term implication is heightened scrutiny from the attorney general’s office, state lawmakers and gubernatorial and federal candidates.
For customers, the practical outcomes depend on the size and structure of any new request. An increase tied primarily to capital cost recovery will raise the fixed and per-kilowatt-hour components of bills differently than a request focused on fuel or operating costs. Additionally, regional and weather-driven usage patterns mean bill impacts will vary — a given rate change can hit households differently depending on consumption levels and appliance mix.
At the system level, Michigan’s approach will influence investor perceptions and the utilities’ ability to finance projects. Annual filings can reassure investors about timely cost recovery, potentially lowering financing costs, but they can also fuel political pushback and legislative responses that could change the regulatory landscape if enacted.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MPSC-approved increase (Feb. 24, 2026) | $242 million / ~4.6% | Affects typical DTE electric customer rate |
| DTE electric customers | ~2.3 million | Southeast Michigan service territory |
| DTE 2025 earnings | ~$1.5 billion | Up from $1.4 billion in 2024 |
| Statutory filing frequency | Every 12 months | Pending bill would extend to 3 years |
This table summarizes the immediate numeric context: the recently approved $242 million adjustment, the scale of DTE’s customer base, recent corporate earnings and the legal filing cadence. Those metrics frame the debate between investors’ desire for predictable cost recovery and advocates’ calls for rate stability and affordability.
Reactions & Quotes
Attorney General and consumer advocates criticized the rapid filings and pressed for greater protection for households.
“It is astonishing that the system allows a new rate case less than a week after locking in a last increase,”
Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General (press release)
DTE executives stressed investment and reliability as justifications for the increases while promising to limit bill growth.
“We remain focused on keeping bills as low as possible for our customers,”
Matt Paul, President & COO, DTE Electric (company statement)
Industry peers offered contrasting takes: Consumers Energy’s leadership framed more frequent filings as a way to pass savings back and manage inflationary pressure.
“Smaller little bites at the apple” let us pass savings back to customers,
Garrick Rochow, CEO, Consumers Energy (investor call transcript)
Unconfirmed
- The exact dollar amount or percentage DTE will request in the upcoming April filing has not been disclosed and remains unconfirmed until the formal application is filed.
- Whether the MPSC will approve a further increase in 2027 — and if so the scale of any approval — is uncertain and depends on the record developed in the pending case.
- Claims that repeated filings directly translate to higher immediate bills for all customers depend on final rate design and individual usage patterns; those impacts are not yet confirmed.
Bottom Line
DTE’s announcement that it will seek another electric rate increase shortly after a $242 million approval intensifies an existing debate in Michigan about the balance between utility investment, investor returns and household affordability. The legal framework allowing annual filings gives utilities a predictable path to recover costs but also exposes ratepayers to more frequent potential adjustments. Political pressure and a pending legislative proposal to extend the interval between filings to three years indicate the issue may move from regulatory dockets to the state legislature.
For consumers, the next concrete milestones are the April 27 formal filing and the evidentiary record that follows; those filings will determine how much of the companies’ stated investment needs are borne now versus deferred. Regulators, lawmakers and advocates will face trade-offs between grid reliability, capital funding and protecting customers from volatile or compounding increases as the case proceeds through 2026 into 2027.
Sources
- The Detroit News — Updated report on DTE filing and reactions (news)
- DTE Energy — Corporate site and press resources (company)
- Michigan Public Service Commission (state regulator)