DTE Electric Company: generator, battery backup & CPAP rules
Service area: Serves southeast Michigan, including Detroit, Ann Arbor, Port Huron and Monroe, and the Thumb region.
Meter collar transfer switches
No published rule found
We found no DTE policy, approved device list or pilot for meter collars or meter socket adapters, and no Michigan law or state commission order on them. DTE's service manual says customers and contractors may not break meter seals without DTE's permission, and it strictly prohibits customer-owned equipment on unmetered wires or inside DTE's sealed section of service equipment. Ask DTE before installing a Tesla Backup Switch, ConnectDER, GenerLink or Enphase IQ Meter Collar.
Generator and battery disconnect requirements
DTE's service manual says a standby generator must be isolated from DTE's lines with a double-throw switch that breaks the DTE supply before connecting to the generator. Outdoors the switch must be weatherproof, a pole-top switch is not acceptable, and the meter enclosure must come before the double-throw switch. Any generator or battery that will run in parallel with the grid needs DTE interconnection approval and written authorization before it operates in parallel. DTE may review battery capacity used only for backup, which cannot run in parallel with the grid, differently when deciding legacy net metering eligibility.
Gas meter upgrades for standby generators
Gas utility: DTE Gas in much of DTE's area; some areas get gas from Consumers Energy or another gas utility.
DTE's process for changing gas service names a generator as an added gas appliance. You send DTE a list of current and planned gas appliances and a photo of your gas meter, and DTE reviews the right meter and service line size, which can take up to a week, or up to three weeks if a site visit is needed. DTE then emails a quote describing the work and any costs, and schedules the work four to six weeks after it gets the signed quote and any payment. We found no published flat fee for a generator meter upgrade, and DTE says it is not responsible for customer fuel line work.
Estimate your gas load with our gas meter calculator and read how gas meter sizing works.
Medical program for CPAP, BiPAP and oxygen users
- Program
- Critical Care Protection and Medical Emergency hold
- What it provides
- These programs delay shutoff of service; they are not discounts. A medical emergency hold signed by a physician or public health official delays shutoff for at least 21 days, and more certificates can extend it, up to 63 days in total. Critical care customers, who need home medical equipment or life support where losing service would be immediately life-threatening, have disconnection postponed a year at a time. DTE says it cannot guarantee continuous service, the form gives no rights to restoration after an outage, and you are responsible for a backup plan.
- CPAP / BiPAP
- Not named. The physician lists the life-support system or medical equipment on the form.
- Renewal
- Critical care: a new form every year. Medical emergency: each certificate covers up to 21 days, with a 63-day maximum.
Backup battery or generator programs
- Program
- None found
- What it provides
- We found no DTE backup battery or generator program or rebate for medical customers. DTE's medical form says customers are responsible for keeping a backup system or other plan.
Frequently asked questions
Does DTE Energy allow meter collar transfer switches like the Tesla Backup Switch?
No published rule found. We found no DTE policy, approved device list or pilot for meter collars or meter socket adapters, and no Michigan law or state commission order on them. DTE's service manual says customers and contractors may not break meter seals without DTE's permission, and it strictly prohibits customer-owned equipment on unmetered wires or inside DTE's sealed section of service equipment. Ask DTE before installing a Tesla Backup Switch, ConnectDER, GenerLink or Enphase IQ Meter Collar.
Does DTE Energy have a program for customers who use a CPAP or other medical equipment?
Critical Care Protection and Medical Emergency hold: These programs delay shutoff of service; they are not discounts. A medical emergency hold signed by a physician or public health official delays shutoff for at least 21 days, and more certificates can extend it, up to 63 days in total. Critical care customers, who need home medical equipment or life support where losing service would be immediately life-threatening, have disconnection postponed a year at a time. DTE says it cannot guarantee continuous service, the form gives no rights to restoration after an outage, and you are responsible for a backup plan. Not named. The physician lists the life-support system or medical equipment on the form.
Does DTE Energy offer backup batteries or generator rebates for medical customers?
We did not find a current backup battery or generator program for medical customers at DTE Energy. We found no DTE backup battery or generator program or rebate for medical customers. DTE's medical form says customers are responsible for keeping a backup system or other plan.
How do I get a bigger gas meter for a standby generator in the DTE Energy area?
DTE Gas in much of DTE's area; some areas get gas from Consumers Energy or another gas utility.: DTE's process for changing gas service names a generator as an added gas appliance. You send DTE a list of current and planned gas appliances and a photo of your gas meter, and DTE reviews the right meter and service line size, which can take up to a week, or up to three weeks if a site visit is needed. DTE then emails a quote describing the work and any costs, and schedules the work four to six weeks after it gets the signed quote and any payment. We found no published flat fee for a generator meter upgrade, and DTE says it is not responsible for customer fuel line work.