DTE Energy Co. () is a Detroit, Michigan-based utility incorporated in 1995 involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide.

DTE Energy's largest operating subsidiaries are Detroit Edison, an investor-owned electric utility serving 2.1 million customers in Southeastern Michigan, and Michigan Consolidated Gas Co. (MichCon), a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan.

The name "DTE" is taken from the stock symbol for Detroit Edison, DTE. http://www.dteenergy.com/news/utilityHistory/1974.html

Credit Reporting Program

In August 2006, DTE began reporting payment information to the major credit beaureaus on all of its 2.5 million customers without offering the ability to opt-out, making it one of the few utilities in the US to do so. Previously, only seriously delinquent accounts were reported. Groups, such as the NAACP, protested this change, on the basis that such a policy would benefit those who have no problems paying their bills, but would hurt those who are the most vulnerable economically and most likely to miss a payment, such as the poor, elderly, and disabled. This, in effect, would hurt their credit rating, and further hamper their ability to advance in society.

In January 2007, DTE changed the policy to state that only payments 60 days or more overdue would be reported to the credit beaureaus. The policy of credit reporting of all other information, without the ability for customers to opt-out, continues.

PHEV and V2G

The Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), an agency within the state?s Department of Labor & Economic Growth, has awarded a partnership of the University of Michigan, GM, and DTE Energy Company $5 million to study plug-in hybrid electric vehicles as a Michigan economic development catalyst, the near-term vehicle-utility interface, the mid/long-term vehicle utility interface, and the environmental and electric utility system impacts of PHEVs. The grants are part of the Low-Income and Energy Efficiency Fund, which provides energy bill assistance for low-income customers and promotes the efficient use of energy by all customer classes.^[1]

Home Protection Plus (HPP)

Through its Michcon department, DTE offers customers five (5) different applicance protection plans covering parts (with some exclusions) and labour on major household appliances such as furnaces, boilers, water heaters, central air conditioner systems, laundry and kitchen equipment in exchange for a monthly fee. These are advertised on a separate website. DTE also uses outsourced call centres who solicit these plans by telephone directly to its customers, offering a negative option billing approach, whereby customers are offered the plans with a ten day review period before the plans come into effect, as well as an incentive to enroll on the phone. The plans are also advertised through separate mailings and inserts with bills. The HPP service is not regulated by the Michigan Public Service Commission.

See also

• DTE Energy Music Theatre
• American Light and Traction

References

1. ↑ Green Car Congress: Michigan Awards $5M Grant for PHEVs

External links

• DTE Energy Co.
• Credit Reporting Article