Going against the wishes of many Michiganders and organizations like the Michigan Chamber, the Michigan Farm Bureau and the Michigan Townships Association who want local control in their communities regarding the development of energy projects, the Democrat party still went ahead with the passage of House Bills 5120 and 5121.
Those bills gave the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), a three-member body whose members are appointed by the governor, control over large wind, solar and energy storage proposals in the state. On November 28th, Michigan’s Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed those bills into law.
Also on the 28th, Gov. Whitmer signed climate change legislation that creates an energy standard that goes along with her “Healthy Climate Plan,” requiring Michigan energy companies to meet a 100% clean energy standard by 2040. The legislation is part of an overall green energy agenda to push Michigan away from fossil fuel and towards carbon free energy by 2040, regardless of whether the grids are ready or not and regardless of whether or not a majority of Michiganders want it to happen.
DTE Customers should probably consider themselves lucky that the proposed $622 million rate increase that was initially asked for was not approved. The new rate increases on DTE’s 2.3 million Michigan customers will take effect on December 15th and will cost the typical residential customer about $7 extra a month.
Although the rate increase request was filed for in February, the timing of the decision, coinciding with the Democrats’ energy bills being signed into law, was not optimal with DTE admitting that they need to make up for costs relating to the Democrats’ plans for the state’s new energy future.
