DTE To Raise Energy Rates

DETROIT (WWJ) - From gasoline to groceries --  the cost of just about everything is going up.  Now you can add "power" to the list. 

DTE Energy was given the green light, Tuesday,  to raise electric rates by more than $100 million a year.

WWJ spoke with DTE Spokesman Len Singer who said the hike is a quarter of what was requested.

"The increase will take effect on April 28th. But the Public Service Commission continues to look at this rate issue, and actually as another six months before they have to make a final decision on the request that we made," Singer said.

"We're really aware of how tough the economic times are here, and we're working really hard to try to minimize the rate increases. But we just can't offset all of the expenses that our business is facing," he said.

DTE, earlier this month requested a rate increase of $230 million -- down from nearly a half-billion dollars last fall.