Farmington-area households face higher DTE delivery rates this winter, but their total heating bills will depend on fuel prices, weather and usage. State regulators approved separate DTE gas and electric rate increases in 2026, and the company has announced another gas rate request.

The Michigan Public Service Commission authorized a $74.5 million DTE Gas rate increase Sept. 10, adding $2.87 per month for a typical residential customer using 75 hundred cubic feet monthly, according to the commission’s announcement. The rates took effect Oct. 1.

Hours after that approval, DTE announced plans to file another gas rate request in November, according to the attorney general’s office. The company did not specify the amount.

Electric bills climbing too

DTE Electric customers already absorbed a $242.4 million rate increase approved in February. It added $4.93 per month for a typical residential customer using 500 kilowatt-hours monthly, starting March 5, according to the commission. That followed a $217 million electric rate increase approved in January 2025, Planet Detroit reported.

DTE also filed in April for an additional $474.3 million electric rate increase, requesting a 9.7% increase for residential customers, according to the attorney general’s office. If approved, the proposed rates could take effect in March 2027, ClickOnDetroit reported.

Oakland County Board Chair David Woodward, D-Royal Oak, opposed the request.

“A 10% rate increase is unaffordable for Oakland County’s working families,” Woodward said in a statement reported by ClickOnDetroit. “We will fight for lower rates and use every tool in our power to help our residents.”

County officials also asked residents to submit old DTE bills to document the financial impact.

Consumers Energy customers face higher gas bills, too. The commission approved a $139.2 million gas rate increase Oct. 15, adding $3.92 per month, or about 4.3%, for a typical residential customer using 75 hundred cubic feet monthly. Those rates took effect Nov. 1, according to the commission.

Federal forecast offers mixed picture

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s 2026-27 Winter Fuels Outlook projects Midwest households heating with natural gas will spend about 10% less this season than last, thanks to lower prices and temperatures similar to last year. Nationally, homes heated with natural gas are projected to spend an average of $640 from November through March, down 9%.

The picture differs for electric heat. The EIA forecasts a 4% increase in winter electricity bills nationally, driven by a 3% rise in residential electricity prices. Midwest electric-heated homes face projected seasonal spending of $1,380, up 3%.

The projections use retail prices that include delivery costs. They are regional averages, rather than forecasts for individual Michigan utilities or households.

How to get help

Michigan offers several energy assistance and shutoff protection programs:

  • State Emergency Relief: Crisis assistance for eligible households with a past-due bill or shutoff notice and income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. Asset limits also apply, according to the state assistance guide. Apply online through MI Bridges.
  • Michigan Energy Assistance Program: Bill payment assistance for households at or below 60% of state median income, with categorical eligibility available through certain public assistance programs. Applicants must receive electricity from a participating utility, according to the commission. A past-due notice is not required, and households may receive assistance more than once, up to the annual cap, according to Michigan 211.
  • Winter Protection Plan: Protects qualifying low-income customers and seniors 65 and older from shutoffs Nov. 1 through March 31. Low-income participants must pay at least 7% of their estimated annual bill monthly and arrange repayment of existing arrears. Unpaid balances remain owed. Contact your utility to enroll. DTE says customers cannot apply for State Emergency Relief while enrolled in its Winter Protection Plan.
  • Home Heating Credit: A state tax credit for eligible low-income households. Forms for the 2026 tax year are expected in mid-to-late January 2027, based on state guidance. The annual filing deadline is Sept. 30. Contact the Michigan Department of Treasury at 517-636-4486.
  • DTE Low-Income Self-Sufficiency Plan: Offers qualifying customers monthly payments based on income and energy usage, shutoff protection and forgiveness of eligible past-due balances. Income must be at or below 60% of state median income. Apply through a participating energy assistance agency listed on DTE’s program page.

The Salvation Army’s energy assistance program lists a Farmington Hills location at 27500 Shiawassee Road. Assistance is by appointment. Residents can check the program’s website for online application options or call 2-1-1 for referrals.

The Heat and Warmth Fund, a Michigan nonprofit, currently says new applications, including walk-in applications, are temporarily paused because of high demand.

Contact providers promptly to confirm eligibility, funding and application availability.