Damages & Reliability Credits

DTE Energy is ready to help you with your electrical power problems and damage claims. For more information on how to maintain your affordable and reliable electricity, visit our Voltage Concerns page.

DTE Energy has implemented service quality and reliability standards defined by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC). These standards provide customers a $25 credit upon request if our investigation of your request determines you have experienced any of the following:

An outage* of more than 120 hours under catastrophic conditions. Catastrophic conditions are defined as an event that results in an official state of emergency or an event that results in an interruption of 10 percent or more of the utility’s customers.

A power outage* of more than 16 hours under non-catastrophic conditions.

Eight or more outages* during a 12-month period. Once a credit has been received, the 12-month period resets.

*A power outage consists of full or partial loss of service for longer than five minutes. Your account must be open to be considered for an electric reliability credit request.

Apply for a Credit

If extraordinary circumstances have prevented DTE Energy from meeting these standards, the company may submit a waiver request to the MPSC for its consideration.

We understand that storm-related damage to your property is inconvenient, upsetting and can pose a financial burden. When the damage is caused by an act of nature—such as a storm, wind or lightning—DTE Energy is not legally responsible. Please check with your business, homeowner’s or renter’s insurance company to see if your losses are covered by your policy.

An investigation will be conducted and a decision will be rendered within 30 days. Your claim will be denied if your damages are a result of the following circumstances:

You are not the customer of record or the owner of the damaged property.

Storms/outside interference - When the damage is caused by an act of nature, such as a storm, wind, lightning, etc., DTE Energy is not legally responsible for your damages.

Equipment failure - DTE Energy is not responsible for damages or losses beyond our control, unless a DTE Energy employee or contractor fails to exercise reasonable care and skills while servicing the equipment.

If you believe DTE Energy was involved in a negligent act that caused damage to your property, we urge you to fill out our online Damage Claim form or call our Customer Service line at (800) 477-4747 to request a Damage Claim affidavit. Each claim is investigated and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Submittal of a claim is not a guarantee of payment. See the frequently asked questions.

Submit Damage Claim

Proper grounding is a fundamental component of safety and protection for your home’s electrical system. For this reason, one or more ground rods are required on your property by the National Electrical Code (NEC) and local building codes. Ground rods are simple and inexpensive but are crucial to protecting your electric equipment and appliances, and therefore must not be neglected.

Unfortunately, we have no control over how well your electrical panel is grounded. If you do not provide proper grounding in accordance with the NEC, there is no way to mitigate electrical damage that may occur beyond your electrical panel. If you have concerns about your business or home grounding, contact a licensed electrical contractor. For more information, click here.

Service Line (1)
Electric Meter (6)

Service Bracket or Hook (2)
Weather Head (3)
Pipe Riser (4)
Meter Can (5)
Service Entrance Cable (7)