Initiative provides essential free home upgrades for income-qualified customers

Detroit, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2024 winter season feels brighter than ever for Mose Primus, a retired Detroiter and president of the Yorkshire Woods Community Organization. After struggling for years with an aging furnace that barely survived the 2021 citywide flood, Primus turned to prayer as he searched for an affordable solution. His answer came through the DTE Energy Efficiency Assistance (EEA) program.

For Primus and his neighbors, the impact of DTE's EEA program reaches far beyond their homes by alleviating the stress of living without essentials like heat and hot water during the cold winter season. His experience is just one example of how DTE transforms lives through its EEA program — investing $63 million in 2024 alone — designed to reduce energy burdens for income-qualified households. The program delivers critical energy-efficient upgrades at no cost to families, helping them lower their energy bills while improving their comfort and safety.

"When I got the call that I'd been accepted into the grant program, I couldn't believe it," said Primus. "The folks from DTE came in, inspected everything, and told me they'd replace my furnace, hot water heater, and even my air conditioner. I was blown away. The day they called to say they'd be there; I was up at 5 a.m. waiting. You just don't know how happy I was."

Each year, nearly 5,000 Michigan families benefit from upgrades such as insulation, air sealing, furnace and boiler tune-ups or replacements, high-efficiency water heaters, ENERGY STAR refrigerators and LED light bulbs. In Detroit alone, nearly 40,000 owner- and renter-occupied low-income households suffer from inadequate housing conditions such as older windows, inadequate insulation and impacted infrastructure, which drive up energy costs. The EEA program covers the full cost of these energy-efficient improvements, ensuring that families like Primus's can focus on thriving, not just surviving.

This year, DTE introduced a targeted "Neighborhood Approach," allocating over $2 million to Detroit's North Coyle neighborhood, where families face some of the city's highest energy burdens. In 2024 alone, nearly 3,000 HVAC upgrades, including furnace replacements and tune-ups, have been installed for residents in this area and across the service territory.

"Access to energy-efficient upgrades has the power to transform lives," said Carmen Welch, director of energy efficiency, DTE Energy. "Through our Energy Efficiency Assistance program, which has provided $63 million in critical upgrades to over 25,000 families this year alone, we're not just lowering energy bills—we're bringing warmth and security to homes, improving health and safety and strengthening neighborhoods. By partnering with community organizations, we can reach families who need it most and deliver a lasting impact across Detroit and beyond."

DTE's EEA program focuses on households earning at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and those actively enrolled in public assistance programs such as SNAP or WIC. Partnering with over 32 community action agencies and nonprofit organizations, DTE ensures that the program reaches the families who need it most, particularly as Michigan prepares for harsh winter months.

The upgrades provided by the EEA program save energy and help families better withstand extreme weather conditions. Measures such as air sealing and insulation make homes more comfortable and efficient, ensuring long-term energy savings while reducing strain on household budgets for families.

Through the EEA program, DTE is not only delivering energy solutions—they're delivering hope. To learn more about additional program assistance and customer eligibility requirements, visit dteenergy.com/eeassistance. For information about available payment assistance programs, visit dteenergy.com/help.

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About DTE Energy
DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.3 million customers in Southeast Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers across Michigan. The DTE portfolio also includes energy businesses focused on custom energy solutions, renewable energy generation, and energy marketing and trading. DTE has continued to accelerate its carbon reduction goals to meet aggressive targets and is committed to serving with its energy through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, philanthropy, emission reductions and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, x.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy.

For further information, members of the media may contact:

Brynn Guster, DTE Energy Corporate Communications, 313-235-5555.

CONTACT: Brynn Guster
DTE Energy
313.235.5555
brynn.guster@dteenergy.com