The pledge arrives as utilities ask for more

148 Michigan lawmakers and candidates have signed a pledge refusing campaign contributions over $200 from monopoly utility political action committees, lobbyists, and executives. The Michigan League of Conservation Voters announced the milestone on Tuesday, the same day Consumers Energy filed its largest rate increase request in more than 20 years.

The timing underscores a growing clash between utility companies seeking higher profits and Michigan voters demanding accountability from the politicians who regulate them.

"For too long, a broken system has allowed DTE and Consumers to pump millions into politicians’ pocketbooks and campaigns and now, taking money from them is a political liability," Bob Allison, MLCV Deputy Director, said in a press release.

The money behind the politics

Michigan lawmakers accepted $421,100 in utility campaign donations in 2025, according to MLCV. During the 2022 election cycle for the Michigan House, Senate, and statewide offices, lawmakers took in $1,607,340, the environmental nonprofit said.

The "No Utility Money Challenge" asks public officials to not knowingly accept more than $200 in total contributions from:

  • Monopoly utility PACs
  • Utility lobbyists
  • Utility executives
  • Employee PACs
  • Other groups aligned with utility interests

The pledge launched in 2025. As of June 2, 2026, 148 officials had signed it.

A rate hike on the same day

Consumers Energy formally submitted a new electric rate increase request to the Michigan Public Service Commission on Tuesday. The utility is seeking a $456 million annual revenue hike, marking its largest financial ask in more than two decades.

If approved as submitted, the filing would translate into a 9.8% increase on monthly bills for residential customers, according to WTVB.

The filing comes just two months after the MPSC approved a $276 million rate hike that took effect on May 1, 2026.

"Consumers Energy and DTE keep demanding more and more money, the MPSC continues to reward their incessant demands, and the cycle of constant, growing rate hikes are pushing Michigan families and businesses to the brink," Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a press release.

Nessel’s office said it will intervene in the rate case. The AG’s office noted that since 2020, the MPSC has approved nearly $800 million in rate hikes for Consumers Energy.

Lawmakers say the money blocks reform

State Rep. Donovan McKinney (D-Detroit), who signed the pledge, said utility influence has made it difficult to pass legislation like his "ratepayer bill of rights" proposal. That bill would increase compensation for outages, ensure outage credits are automatically applied to customers’ bills, and bar utilities from recouping outage credits through rate hikes.

"My community is fed up," McKinney said of his district, which covers parts of the east side of Detroit and Warren. The area was heavily impacted by the February 2023 ice storm, with neighborhoods experiencing multiple rounds of outages, McKinney said.

State Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley), also a signatory, said she has never accepted contributions from utilities.

"It’s a good signal to voters that I’m accountable to them rather than to the utility companies," Price said.

Price said narrow majorities in the Michigan House and Senate make it easier for utilities to pressure lawmakers who may be concerned about their parties’ ability to maintain power. She also warned that utility resistance to community solar and raising the state’s renewable energy cap could make it harder for Michigan to meet its climate goals.

The utilities defend their spending

Both major utilities denied that customer funds pay for political contributions.

Consumers Energy spokesperson Brian Wheeler said the company focuses on the political process "with a focus on compliance and transparency," and customer funds are not used for political contributions.

DTE Energy spokesperson Jill Wilmot said the company’s political contributions are supported by DTE employees or shareholders, not customer revenue.

But Amy Bandyk, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board of Michigan, challenged that claim.

"The revenue all comes from ratepayers," Bandyk said.

A ballot initiative looms

The pledge arrives as a separate effort seeks to ban political donations from monopoly companies entirely through a voter referendum.

Michiganders for Money Out of Politics submitted over 560,000 signatures on May 27 to place its proposal on the November ballot. The group needs 356,958 valid signatures to qualify, according to Campaign Manager Courtney Otto.

Recent polling from Progress Michigan found 8 in 10 Michigan voters support the proposal, with strong bipartisan backing.

McKinney said that even with the ballot proposal on the table, legislators taking the no-utility-money pledge is a step in the right direction.

"We have so much power influence over the utilities, we just don’t wield it," McKinney said.

The MPSC begins a 10-month review of the Consumers Energy rate hike filing. The next commission meeting is scheduled for June 11, 2026.