State Rep. Jaime Greene, R-Richmond, on Friday issued the following statement after the Michigan Public Service Commission authorized DTE Energy to raise rates on customers by $368 million — a 6.4% increase.

“This rate increase is a prelude to an even more ominous story. Behind this immediate financial blow lies a larger narrative of utility companies maneuvering to raise rates as they shutter dependable natural gas and coal-fired power plants and spend big on less reliable green energy ventures. Michigan families better brace for higher electricity bills that stretch their budgets tight. Residents will bear the burden of these extreme energy mandates while utility companies continue to profit, all thanks to the Lansing Democrats who voted to lift the cap on rate hikes.”

DTE said it needed the rate increase in part to comply with the state’s existing clean energy goals — requirements much smaller than Democrats’ new clean energy mandates. The “100% clean energy” laws Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed this week will effectively ban natural gas power plants by requiring expensive, impractical technology, instead shifting to more wind and solar, which are less reliable power sources than natural gas. The bills, which Greene vehemently opposed, also repealed a rate cap, a move that will allow utilities to pass on 100% of the green energy implementation expenses to ratepayers.

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