DETROIT (WWJ) -- Keep an eye on your energy bill. It's about to go up for the summertime.
Both DTE Energy and Consumers Energy now have their summer rates in effect, starting today.
June 1 through September 30, your electricity rates will jump up during peak hours.
For DTE customers, that's weekdays, between 3 pm. and 7 p.m. For Consumers, the window is a little longer, between 2 pm. and 7 p.m.
These are the times when demand on the power grid spikes as households and businesses run air conditioning on hot days.
DTE has about a 27% increase during those times, while the Consumers rate jumps about 22%.
Officials at the utility companies say there's a few things you can do to help mitigate the costs, such as switching to LED light bulbs, installing smart thermostats, ora fresh furnace filter.
Other tips include trying to run the air outside of those peak hours, running your dishwasher at night, and doing laundry on the weekends.
Meanwhile, both utilities — which combined serve about 4.2 million customers n Michigan — are also currently pursuing electric rate increases, as they work to reduce outage times and boost reliability.
In the case of DTE, regulators are expected to decide whether DTE can implement a $474 million increase, amounting to a 9.7% hike for residential bills, in early 2027.
Consumers is expected to file for a new rate increase this Tuesday, starting a 10-month review process. The amount is not yet known.
