Rashida Tlaib: “Here we go again. DTE wants another rate hike, 11 percent this time. Our families can't afford more power outages in…”

“Here we go again. DTE wants another rate hike, 11 percent this time. Our families can't afford more power outages in Michigan that wipe out groceries, spoil medicine, and leave our neighbors without critical medical devices, all because DTE would rather pad the pockets of their shareholders and executives than invest in reliability for our families. We know that DTE charges some of the highest rates, Mr. Speaker, in the Nation, while they have some of the most unreliable service and they perform hundreds of thousands of utility shutoffs per year. The company made $1.4 billion last year alone. Their CEO made $12.5 million last year. Investor-owned utilities like DTE will always put profits over the people they are supposed to serve. These are companies that don't see providing us power as essential to our daily lives. We are just another account number to them. Now DTE is seeking another massive $574 million rate hike. It is important to note, Mr. Speaker, that it was just a few months ago that the Michigan Public Service Commission approved a $217 million rate hike back in January. The Michigan Public Service Commission must do the right thing and reject this outrageous, unreasonable rate increase. Access to utilities is not a privilege; it is a fundamental human right. Every single family should have access to electricity, heat, and water. We need public power to all. We need utilities that serve people, not shareholders.…”