DTE Proposal Lacks Critical Resources to Meet Michigan’s Growing Energy Needs
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Advocate Organizations Plan to Intervene, Advocate for Customer Flexibility, Clean Energy, and Affordability
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2026
Lansing, MI – Today, DTE Energy filed an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), outlining its plan to supply customers’ energy needs for the next 15 years. The IRP, which DTE must file every five years, fails to account for community power networks and other flexible resources that can help meet growing electricity demand.
As DTE plans for significant new energy demand, mostly driven by data centers, the Ecology Center, the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Vote Solar (collectively, the Clean Energy Organizations or “CEO”) are intervening and calling for a forward-looking approach that makes the most of customer-side resources, like residential solar, to protect affordability and keep Michigan on track to meet its clean energy commitments. The organizations plan to intervene in the IRP proceeding to model and demonstrate how customer flexibility, solar, storage, and other community-powered resources can provide more cost-effective alternatives to building new natural gas generation.
While DTE’s IRP incorporates 15 GW of renewables and 4.5 GW of storage, it also includes 2.2 GW of new gas generation and only 75 MW of virtual power plants, leaving significant cost-effective resources untapped.
“DTE’s IRP is an important opportunity to make sure that as Michigan’s energy needs grow, customers get the most value from every dollar invested in the energy grid,” said Will Kenworthy, Senior Regulatory Director for Vote Solar. “DTE should be looking at the full range of resources available to meet this growing energy demand. Customer flexibility, virtual power plants, solar, and storage can all play a critical role in meeting peak demand and reducing the need for costly new gas infrastructure.”
“It is immediately apparent that DTE failed to comprehensively incorporate virtual power plants and other flexible resources into its plans. Our focus in this case will be on modeling and demonstrating that there are more cost-effective solutions out there for customers than new natural gas.” Daniel Abrams, Senior Associate Attorney, the Environmental Law & Policy Center.
“DTE’s decision to propose more than 2,000 megawatts of new fossil gas generation raises serious questions about whether Michigan is getting the clean, affordable energy system it was promised,” said Lee Shaver, Senior Energy Analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists. “DTE should be looking first to clean energy, energy waste reduction, storage, and other flexible resources—not locking customers into decades of polluting fossil fuel infrastructure.”
“The Ecology Center appreciates that DTE proposes to meet new Clean Energy requirements in its IRP with a range of renewables, storage and energy efficiency, leading to cleaner and more affordable power generation,” said Charles Griffith, Climate and Energy Program Director at the Ecology Center. “However, we are concerned that their proposed plans to build two new gas plants still leave cleaner and more affordable energy options off the table. We look forward to analyzing their proposal in detail and proposing improvements as part of the intervention process.”
About Vote Solar
Vote Solar is a nonprofit advocacy organization working to advance state-level policies that make solar solutions accessible to all. Since 2002, Vote Solar has worked to build an equitable clean energy future by leveraging deep policy expertise, strategic partnerships, and public engagement. In the face of powerful opposition, Vote Solar champions bold solutions that expand clean energy access, drive investment in frontline communities, and accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy.
Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy organization, working across Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, and other states plus Washington, D.C., to advance clean energy and protect natural resources.
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet’s most pressing problems. Joining with people across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe and sustainable future. For more information, go to www.ucs.org.
The Ecology Center is a Michigan-based nonprofit organization that develops innovative solutions for healthy people and a healthy planet. We work at the local, state and national levels for clean production, healthy communities, environmental justice, and a sustainable future.