Detroit Evening Report: DTE Energy offering $35 bill credit to customers without power for at least 96 hours straight

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DTE Headquarters in downtown Detroit.

DTE Headquarters in downtown Detroit.

DTE Energy says it will issue a $35 bill credit to every customer who has been without power for at least 96 consecutive hours, which is four full days.


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That’s $10 more than the usual credit qualifying customers would receive during a power outage. Another difference is that eligible customers won’t have to apply for the credit. DTE will use meter readings to determine who should receive the $35 credit.

The utility company says over 25,000 of its customers still have no power after last week’s historic ice storm.

Some residents say $35 isn’t enough compensation after spending several days without power, especially if they had to dispose of spoiled food in their refrigerators and freezers.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib spoke on Detroit Today earlier this week saying how DTE Energy has focused more on upgrading power grids for businesses over residential areas.

“When I look at where (DTE) invested in the past, especially in Detroit, you see commercial industry getting more modernization and more attention by DTE than residential communities, especially those hardest hit,” says Tlaib.

Other headlines for Feb. 28, 2023:

  • Racial health disparities in Michigan declined according to COVID task force report
  • Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan to hold State of the City address at Corktown train station
  • Elissa Slotkin raises $1 million for U.S. Senate campaign

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Author

  • Jerome Vaughn is News Director at 101.9 WDET. His interest in news reporting began when he was five years old, after his mom bought him a yellow Panasonic ball and chain radio.