The city will move toward no longer providing electricity to city customers and allow DTE Energy to do so, emergency manager Kevyn Orr said Thursday.Orr sent a notice to DTE Energy saying it will begin winding down its electricity distribution and transmission service over the next five to seven years.
Detroit will phase out providing energy through the Public Lighting Department to approximately 115 customers at 1,400 sites throughout the Metro Detroit area. Customers include Wayne State University, the Detroit Public Schools, Joe Louis Arena, Cobo Center and the Detroit Institute of Arts.

The system has been a financial burden on the city, operating at an annual loss of approximately $150 million over the past five years, officials said.