Detroit utility payments jump 15%
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Detroit-area electricity and gas payments rose faster this summer than in any other major metro studied by Bank of America.
Why it matters: Households are getting squeezed by rising energy costs even as Michigan's typical electric bill sits below the national average.
State of play: Average electricity and gas payments in Metro Detroit rose by more than 15% year over year this summer, compared with about 5% nationally, Bank of America Institute found.
Between the lines: BofA cautions that Detroit's increase can't be pinned entirely on higher rates or heavier use. Its data captures what customers pay, and the bank tells Axios that a warmer-than-average summer likely contributed.
- BofA says Detroit's sharp increase also stands out because some large metros saw utility payments decline from a year earlier.
Zoom out: Still, the jump comes after years of repeated electric-rate increases for Michigan's two largest utilities.
- Since 2020, state regulators have approved rate increases adding $1.046 billion to DTE's annual electric revenue and $794.7 million to Consumers Energy's, according to an Axios tally confirmed by the Michigan Public Service Commission.
Stunning stat: That's about $1.84 billion combined.
Friction point: Repeated major outages this summer have intensified scrutiny of utilities and state policymakers, culminating in September storms that affected more than 450,000 DTE customers in Metro Detroit.
Context: Michigan's average residential electric bill was $119.31 in 2024, about $23 below the national average, according to the MPSC's latest annual report.
The other side: DTE, which serves most of Metro Detroit, tells Axios that its residential electric bills remain below national and Great Lakes averages and that its investments are improving reliability and restoration times.
Consumers Energy, which mostly serves customers outside Southeast Michigan, says its rate increases pay for grid upgrades such as tree trimming, stronger poles, automation and cybersecurity.
The big picture: Michigan regulators have acknowledged the affordability pressure, urging lawmakers to move away from the cycle of "effectively annual" rate cases and reconsider rules they say can unnecessarily raise customer costs.
What's next: The state is hosting an energy affordability public hearing on Nov. 17 on the city's near west side at Durfee Innovation Society, 2470 Collingwood St.