ANN ARBOR (WWJ) -- The City of Ann Arbor is moving forward with a plan to potentially ditch and replace DTE Energy. A proposal set to appear on the November ballot would establish a city-run electric utility.
The effort first began in 2010, when the Ann Arbor for Public Power Ballot Question Committee launched a petition drive for a city-wide referendum on public power.
Now, more than 5,000 petition signatures have been certified by the city clerk, which means a proposal will go before voters on the November 2026 ballot.
If approved by voters, the proposal would amend the city charter to create a municipal electric utility (MEU) and set 2028 elections for its governing board.
Under the plan, DTE would continue to provide electric service until Ann Arbor voters approve acquisition of its local infrastructure in a later referendum — with the ultimate goal to replace DTE in Ann Arbor.
DTE currently serves around 2.3 million electric customer accounts — including residential, commercial, and industrial — in an 11-county service territory across Southeastern Michigan.
Ann Arbor for Public Power Exec. Director Brian Geiringer said DTE has spent more than a million dollars in opposition of the ballot proposal. Regardless, he told WWJ's Luke Sloan he does expect it to succeed.
"People are sick of paying more and more money every year for an electricity service that doesn't work that well," Geiringer said. "We have record numbers of blackouts and they last much longer than the actual utility."
Several Michigan communities already have their own power, including Wyandotte, Lansing, Traverse City, and Holland.
