{"id":810312,"date":"2025-02-06T18:22:28","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T23:22:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/dte-energy-celebrates-energy-assistance-expansion-thanks-to-coalition-to-keep-michigan-warm\/"},"modified":"2025-02-06T18:22:28","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T23:22:28","slug":"dte-energy-celebrates-energy-assistance-expansion-thanks-to-coalition-to-keep-michigan-warm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/dte-energy-celebrates-energy-assistance-expansion-thanks-to-coalition-to-keep-michigan-warm\/","title":{"rendered":"DTE Energy celebrates energy assistance expansion, thanks to \u201cCoalition to Keep Michigan Warm\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nGroup of more than 120 human service agencies, religious organizations and businesses and legislatures were instrumental in the bipartisan passage of new law to expand energy assistance for Michiganders in need
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Detroit, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, DTE Energy joined with 120 human service agencies, religious organizations and businesses, known as the \u201cCoalition to Keep Michigan Warm,\u201d to celebrate new laws that will expand energy assistance to more Michiganders. DTE and other members of the coalition, were joined by Governor Whitmer, legislators and community leaders to celebrate the bipartisan collaboration that was necessary to successfully break down barriers and secure this vital funding for Michiganders in need.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\u201cI am so proud that Republicans and Democrats came together to expand energy assistance for 330,000 Michigan families, helping them stay warm in the winter and cool through the summer,\u201d said Governor Whitmer. \u201cMichiganders are still facing high costs, and we need to work together to keep finding commonsense ways to save them money. By expanding MEAP eligibility and making it even easier to sign up, we are making sure that no one has to put on an extra sweater just to eat dinner and kids can come home after a long, hot day playing outside and cool off. Everyone deserves to live in a safe, comfortable, and affordable home, and I am grateful that we came together to lower costs and get this done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile DTE is focused on making transformational investments to provide our customers with cleaner, more reliable energy, we\u2019re also committed to keeping bills as low as possible. Despite these investments, we\u2019re proud to have kept residential customer bills below the national average and bill increases below the rate of inflation \u2013 every bit of savings counts for our customers,\u201d said Jerry Norcia, DTE Chairman and CEO. \u201cWe\u2019re so grateful for the passion brought by The Coalition to Keep Michigan Warm, legislators and community leaders who stood together to knock down barriers and better meet the changing needs of our most vulnerable customers.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m thankful for the Coalition to Keep Michigan Warm and our government partners who worked tirelessly to advocate for the passage of these bills, which will help so many families across our state,\u201d said Dr. Darienne Hudson, president and CEO of United Way for Southeastern Michigan. \u201cThis MEAP expansion will ensure more households living below the ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) threshold can access critical utility assistance in a time of need. United Way is committed to helping families move from crisis to stability, and from stability to prosperity, and we\u2019re thrilled to celebrate this additional pathway of support.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud to have partnered with nonprofit leaders, religious organizations and businesses to form the Coalition to Keep Michigan Warm that fought for those in my community, making sure their needs were heard,\u201d said Reverend Richard White III of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. \u201cI\u2019m thrilled to celebrate the passage of the energy assistance expansion bills alongside these advocates and to know that more funding will be available to even more Michiganders.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the end of last year, the Michigan legislature, with a bipartisan vote, passed four pieces of legislation to expand the funding available for low-income Michiganders under the Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP), as well as expanded the eligibility criteria for the program.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

The four bills recently signed into law by Governor Whitmer will:\u00a0 <\/p>\n