Michigan’s attorney general has intervened after DTE Energy requested a permanent waiver to new rules that require utilities in the state to automatically refund eligible customers who experience power outages.
Under service quality rules issued by the Michigan Public Service Commission in 2023, utilities in the state are obligated to credit customers who experience a power outage lasting longer than 120 hours during a state of emergency, an outage lasting longer than 16 hours under normal conditions, or more than seven service interruptions in a 12-month period. Customers who meet the criteria are eligible for a $25 credit.
DTE Energy has argued that customers not equipped with smart meters, or advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), should be required to self-report outages in order to be eligible for power outage bill credits.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced her intent to intervene in the case on June 18, noting: “The rules governing outage credits place the burden on the utility to track and automatically apply such credits and make no exceptions for the type of meter used at the ratepayer’s residence.”
Nessel said DTE Energy has incorrectly described the outage bill credit as a “benefit” to customers as opposed to a penalty for poor utility performance.
DTE Energy has installed more than 2 million smart meters in its service territory, which includes Detroit. Around 13,000 customers have opted out of smart meters, according to a statement the utility shared with a local news outlet.
“DTE has not requested to be excused from paying outage credits for (customers without smart meters),” DTE said in the statement. “The company has requested that these legacy meter customers proactively submit a credit request to help ensure their outage credit is captured and processed.”
