Tuesday - Nov.1st Protest DTE Energy Shutoffs

[mikefmich]

Protest shutoffs. Gimme a break. Pay the fooken bill. Problem solved.

[Bigb23]

Protest shutoffs. Gimme a break. Pay the fooken bill. Problem solved.

A man with regular power - f-you. You should live with the rest of us.

[mikefmich]

A man with regular power - f-you. You should live with the rest of us.

You know what they say about assumptions dude. Nice post, continue to stay classy.
Not to mention, I believe the OP was about shut-offs, not outtages?

[Scottathew]

• Events on November 1, 2011
  
  • March on DTE: Stop the Shutoffs!
    Starts: 1:00 pm
    Ends: 3:00 pm, November 1, 2011
    Location: Grand Circus Park to DTE Energy Plaze, 2000 Second Ave.
    Description: Our Neighborhoods need: Clean, Affordable Energy now! Make Energy Shutoffs Illegal! Stop Dirty Coal Pollution with Clean Energy Solutions! Promote Green Energy Jobs!

I gave this some more thought and wanted to warp it into an outrageous statement, then justify my outrageous statement.

Outrageous Statement: This group is for huge increases in utility bills for everyone, including the very poor, that may not be affordable for everyone.

Justification: Clean energy will cost a lot more money than dirty energy, this will cause an increase in our utility bills. Allowing payment to be optional for utility bills will further complicate things by further increasing the cost of energy for those still paying.


Additional thoughts: As I stated previously, I most certainly am for green energy. I'd like to see a jobs bill focus on creating hydro, solar, wind, and nuclear power. We just have to realize that all this does have to be paid for, and I'd like to see some of it done through large federal projects, like the ones that created our dams and the interstate freeway system. However, a serious green energy bill will also involve higher energy bills to pay for more expensive, but cleaner forms of power.

By passing common sense green energy requirements we can slowly move to a much better mix between fossil fuels and renewable energy [[as well as nuclear). Allowing the price of energy to rise to pay for this will also make folks re-think how they use energy, and encourage folks to use less by using the most effective incentive; cost. By using less energy, it will allow us to use less fossil fuels [[because we'd use all available green energy first before burning fossils).

Utilities already have many educational and rebate programs for customers that replace old energy guzzlers with new appliances that meet certain efficiency requirements. I've taken advantage of a program that provided me with a $350 rebate on a $2,300 furnace I bought that was of a high efficiency.

[East Detroit]

I have had tremendous luck strongarming DTE to do my bidding via the Michigan Public Service Commission. It's like calling the cops on them... they react quickly. So, regulation does do something.

I also buy American products to help keep locals in jobs so that they can pay their bills. And additionally, I give to THAW every month. [[http://www.thawfund.org/). But I'm sure the protestors are doing those two things already.

[firstandten]

Why can't DTE have a ban on shutoffs just during the winter months [[heating season) like some other places [[DC comes to mind). Once we get to March or April everythings fair game. That way you don't have the bad publicity of someone freezing to death or using a gas stove to stay warm.

[Trumpeteer]

Why can't DTE have a ban on shutoffs just during the winter months [[heating season) like some other places [[DC comes to mind). Once we get to March or April everythings fair game. That way you don't have the bad publicity of someone freezing to death or using a gas stove to stay warm.

TOTALLY agree as the utilities in GA have an agreement that no cut offs will happen if the projected temp is 32 or below.

[Thames]

TOTALLY agree as the utilities in GA have an agreement that no cut offs will happen if the projected temp is 32 or below.

How many days a year is GA at 32 or below as compared to MI?

Are you suggesting that would work here?

[Trumpeteer]

How many days a year is GA at 32 or below as compared to MI?

Are you suggesting that would work here?

Doesn't matter how manynjust the cut off temp.

[Zacha341]

Well that's interesting as Atlanta, Georgia rarely gets cold enough to literally kill as it does in this area! Does Minnesota, Chicago, Wisconsin or Canada have such an option?

TOTALLY agree as the utilities in GA have an agreement that no cut offs will happen if the projected temp is 32 or below.

[Trumpeteer]

Well that's interesting as Atlanta, Georgia rarely gets cold enough to literally kill as it does in this area! Does Minnesota, Chicago, Wisconsin or Canada have such an option?

Which makes it even more impressive that that type voluntary accomodation is provided by the utilities here.

[mikefmich]

Why can't DTE have a ban on shutoffs just during the winter months [[heating season) like some other places [[DC comes to mind). Once we get to March or April everythings fair game. That way you don't have the bad publicity of someone freezing to death or using a gas stove to stay warm.

They don't? Pretty sure they used to at least. I know MichCon did.

[MissingDetroit]

Did they ever consider that the middle of a work day might not be the very best time for a protest?

[Meddle]

Overlook the very obvious bias of the linked website [[it was one of the first that came up after a search about utility shutoffs) and just look at the numbers;

For 2010;

There are two primary gas and electricity companies in Michigan: DTE Energy, a merger of Detroit Edison [[electricity) and Michigan Consolidated [[gas), and Consumers Energy, also a combined gas and electric company. DTE, the larger of the two, is the main service provider for southeast Michigan, including Detroit.

According to MPSC’s monthly statistics, between January and May 53,040 households had their electricity turned off by DTE and another 31,729 had their gas service disconnected. Consumers Energy put 42,398 electricity customers in the dark during this period and disconnected another 35,200 gas customers. Altogether 84,769 DTE customers saw their utilities turned off during the first five months of the year compared to 77,598 homes by Consumers, a whopping total of 162,367 households.

The myth that utility companies are not allowed to shut off utilities in the winter is disproved by the MPSC statistics. January—one of the coldest months of the year—had the highest number of shutoffs for 2010, with 36,831 shutoffs between the two utility giants. On average, 30,000 households faced shutoffs each month of the five-month period.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/ju...mpsc-j21.shtml


For 2011;

Statewide statistics for the frigidly cold months of January, February and March confirm that the utility companies have escalated their brutal policy of utility shutoffs. DTE shut off nearly 50,000 households during the period and the other local gas and electric company, Consumers Energy, shut off another 36,000 households.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/ma...heat-m04.shtml

[detroitjim]

Getting your utilities shut off at the time you will really be needing them has got to be a helpless feeling.
I'd like to know what the statistics are on those who pay the past due bill after having their service cut off.
I will guess that the number is less than 10%.
I will also guess that those of whom,that have no intention of paying their bill , do nothing to keep their usage to a minimum .
It seems that the usual attitude of today is "Fug dem, cut the heat on up" "They cant cut my gas off [[at least ,not now) " .Thats why you can travel around and see occupied homes with the front door open during winter.[[only the storm door closed) Or sometimes a window open [[maybe because its too hot inside and need to cool off a bit).

Rather than protest shut offs contribute to THAW or a charity that assists with utility bills as another poster suggested.

[gnome]

If THAW would only pay folks to insulate their homes ...

[hamtown mike]

Grrrr. Barely 10 and I already have my Monday morning hackles up. I've used the phrase before and I will use it again. we are becoming a society of living down to the lowest common denominator. Living down, not helping up. A handout is the worst type of slavery.

[Gistok]

What I often find appalling is that if your gas, electric or phone service is cut off... not only do you have to pay a reconnect fee, but often a deposit... it's bad enough that power was shut off due to financial hardship... but utilities compound the misery by demanding a deposit of $100-$150 just to get it turned back on [[not including reconnect fees!)..

One of the most ridiculous scenarios was written about in the local St. Clair Shores neighborhood paper, where a truant water bill balance caused a city employee to come out to the non-paying house with one of those long gadgets that they stick into your lawn to shut off the underground water intake. Only problem was, it wouldn't shut off [[the mechanism was stuck). The city sent the truant homeowner a notice that if the bill wasn't paid within a week that they would send out a backhoe to dig up the front lawn to turn off the water, and charge the homeowner $250 for the trouble of doing so. Well it seems that the homeowner scraped together the money and paid the past due balance. Only problem was that the next bill arrived in the mail with a disconnect and reconnect charge, even though neither was accomplished at the address... talk about ripping off your own taxpayers!!

[MikeM]

Regarding THAW:

Funding News

The Low Income Energy Efficiency Fund [[LIEEF) is the primary grant used by the utility companies to support customers struggling to pay their bills. This fund represents around $80 million to Michigan residents and it is being threatened to go away due to a recent court claiming the Michigan Public Service Commission [[MPSC) does not have the authority to distribute these dollars. Should this ruling stand, organizations like THAW will find an immediate contraction of financial support for the customers we serve and thousands of homes will be cold this winter. Absent this grant whose term begins October 1st, there is no alternative resource to help families this winter.

Though it is believed the MPSC will take this matter to the Michigan Supreme Court to seek an appeal, the question remains what will people do while this case is being heard? While a legislative fix is possible, it suffers the same issue of time not being on our side before the deep cold sets in.

[lgc22]

Check out Cents for Energy...you can enroll in the program to help out neighbors in need [[http://www.dteenergy.com/residential...ForEnergy.html):

"Cents for Energy is an energy assistance program created by DTE Energy and THAW [[The Heat and Warmth Fund). It provides energy assistance to individuals and families having severe difficulty paying their energy bills.

When you participate in this donation program, you can round up your energy bill payment to the nearest dollar or add up to an additional $10 donation.

All funds collected will be used to assist customers whose income is above federal poverty guidelines, but who still struggle to meet financial obligations. One hundred percent of the funds will be used to help qualified individuals and families retain utility services.

To participate in the Cents for Energy program, your account must be active with no unpaid balance. Each year you will receive confirmation of the total amount donated for the prior year. You may discontinue the program at any time."

[Danny]

My Comrads!


The 99 Percenters had declared a socialist war against the corporate greed of DTE Enengy. We will march carrying our weapons of peace against the greed mongers up to their door step. Let them sent their rich armies. We will not be stopped until mantra is being heard. We will return again if we don't get results. The 99 Percenters has heard the cries of many proletarian families who struggle threw the long cold winters without any heat and lights. Many died from building fires from extreme measures to keep themselves warm. Many heat relief agencies are trying their best to negotiate with DTE Energy, but most representatives are turned away as a result. DTE Energy has slapped their customers with fees, fees and more fees per killowatt hours of electricity and this so called natural gas, [[the cleanest burnging gas) from DTE Energy is raising its rates to very expensive levels. When Thanksgiving and Christmas begin in the proletarian ghettohoods of Detroit and other suburban neighborhoods, many parents may have to choose between getting a good meal, running down to the Christmas Tree see their presents or paying their gas or electric bills. I can see many results that most proletarian families with their children will not see a good Thanksgiving dinner or getting a Christmas present. So my Comrads march to that black tower of Babel and bring those fat pigs down. They are the energy hogs just like Enron suck the energy out of the State of California dry! Go forth my Comrads, our socialist democracy and our liberty awaits us.

[Trumpeteer]

WOW!! Just totally WACK.

[Lowell]

On their way to DTE...

[guito13]

On their way to DTE...

"Look Ma', Hippies!"

Hopefully they each donated $100 or something to THAW in addition to taking their walk.

Silly Det_ard, Hippies dont have jobs!

[Det_ard]

Hopefully they each donated $100 or something to THAW in addition to taking their walk.