Community is what drives DTE’s commitment to making Michigan cleaner. We believe people are the difference, which is why we support initiatives that provide assistance, education, and recommendations for customers to reduce their energy use and manage energy costs. Through our Energy Efficiency Assistance (EEA) program, income-stricken customers can receive energy-efficient products and services through our partnership with several non-profit, community action and governmental agencies. Customers who fall within the federal poverty guidelines or are actively enrolled in low-income assistance programs like SNAP and WIC are eligible for such services. Following a home energy assessment or phone screening, the network of participating organizations work in conjunction with independent contractors to provide a variety of services including but not limited to, furnace tune-ups and replacement, refrigerators, water heater replacement, and home weatherization services. These upgrades could help reduce electricity costs and provide a meaningful impact on the affordability of customer bills, minimizing the need for customers to make a tough decision between paying their energy bill or taking care of another household need.
In 2021, the EEA program serviced roughly 4,400 customers in single-family units, responding to “no heat” emergencies and installation of energy saving products and services. Increasingly serving historically underinvested communities is what the EEA program aims to accomplish through piloting initiatives. The Healthy and Safety Pilot directly addresses issues preventing energy efficient upgrades, providing customers with home roofing repairs, mold and asbestos removal, among other home maintenance needs. For 2022, the EEA Program plans to continue with this pilot, allotting a $2 Million budget aimed at assisting roughly 350 customers in single-family units.
Further addressing the needs of limited income households, the EEA program has established several partnerships with local non-profit organizations to remediate instances of high energy burden and educate contractors on healthier building materials. Through collaborating with the Detroit Land Bank Authority, the EEA program has increased its success of ensuring maximal energy efficiency measures have been implemented in homes, so that limited income customers can focus on investing in other areas of home improvement.
This year, the EEA program will provide free, energy-saving home improvements to Payment Stability Plan (PSP) participants to help lower their energy usage and increase home comfort. Applying a whole home approach to delivering energy efficient products and services to customers, while maximizing quality of life is an essential priority of the EEA program. Alongside providing those services, the EEA program also plans to continue its educational efforts, recommending the use of healthy insulation and air-sealing materials for contractors.
To learn more about these initiatives and see if you qualify for EEA program participation, please contact us at (866) 796-0512 or send email to energy_saving@dteenergy.com.
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