A group of Ann Arbor residents is taking the first step in a plan to start a city-owned electric utility to relace DTE Energy.
Ann Arbor for Public Power president Sean Higgins said the move is both urgent and necessary.
"DTE is among the dirtiest major utilities in the country, with over two-thirds of its power coming from fossil fuels, and only 12 percent from solar and wind," he said. "DTE’s reliability is abysmal, with average outage time during major weather events almost five times the national average, according to the 2025 report from the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan."
The group kicks off its petition drive on Saturday, January 31 to gather 6,500 signatures for a November ballot question. The ballot question would ask city residents to establish a city utility board. That board would oversee a later vote on whether to buy DTE's infrastructure.
In a statement, DTE Energy said the group's plan could dramatically increase rates.
"DTE remains focused on continuing to improve reliability, supporting Ann Arbor’s clean energy goals, and keeping bills as low as possible, without asking residents to shoulder the financial risk of an uncertain and expensive experiment.
"DTE customers in Ann Arbor experienced a nearly 90% improvement in time spent without power between 2023 and 2024, and based on preliminary data from 2025, customers experienced another significant improvement in outage time compared to 2024."
City of Ann Arbor communications staff did not respond to a request for comment.
City voters approved the creation of a "Sustainable Energy Utility" in 2024. The SEU is intended to increase the total amount of renewable energy available to Ann Arbor businesses, schools, and residents without cutting ties with DTE.
The SEU authorizes the city to seek market financing for renewable energy projects, including large-scale geothermal, and purchasing and installing solar panels on homes, charging residents only for the electricity created by the panels.
Editor's note: DTE is among Michigan Public's corporate sponsors.
