Michigan's Utility Regulator is Run Like a Dictatorship

One of the many things Democrats cry about regularly these days is how we live in a dictatorship run by President Donald Trump.

But here in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has used her power unilaterally time and time again.

From Covid protocols that kept kids out of schools to putting sick seniors in care centers where she continues to falsify death counts, everyone in the state has felt the impact from her poor decision-making.

Now in 2026, with one foot out the door, our globe-trotting governor’s appointees at the Michigan Public Service Commission, “voted” to allow raising the bills for every DTE customer by 4.6%, March 5—a burden increase of $242 million.

Fortunately for us peasants, DTE actually asked for $574 million, but the fine folks at the MPSC settled with our local energy monopoly and gave us a “break.”

Then on Feb. 24, the MPSC received notice from DTE’s lawyers that they will be seeking yet another rate hike this April, but—don’t worry—it won’t go into effect in 2027.

Mind you, this all comes after the $217 million dollar rate hike in January 2025, also approved by the MPSC.

On March 3 of this year, the commission posted their annual report on LinkedIn, and I almost threw up when I saw how they worded their post. It reads: “We're seeing big electric reliability improvements while managing affordability and protecting consumers.”

You kidding me?

These clowns aren’t even trying to hide it anymore. I commented, asking them how raising our energy bills manages and protects us. Their response was abysmal:

“As the report notes, Michigan ranked 18th nationally for home energy bills—combined natural gas and electric—in 2024, its best ranking in a decade. On electric bills alone, Michigan ranked 15th. Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration show that Michigan’s average home electric bill of $119.31 was nearly $23 lower than the national average of $142.16 in 2024, lower than average bills in two neighboring states: Ohio ($135.16) and Indiana ($133.06), and lower than the $121.66 per month average for the region that includes Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin.”

A study from 2024? Saying we’re lucky that we don’t have to pay what Ohio pays? The energy prices of other states have nothing to do with us. Who on their team thought this was an appropriate response?

With more protests scheduled for this weekend, it's comical how the people yelling “No Kings” don't care at all about the three people who were appointed without a vote in their own state. We “ratepayers” don’t get a say on anything the MPSC chooses to do.

Guess what else?

On top of approving energy hikes, the Michigan Public Service Commission is also the final word on energy contracts for data centers, solar farms that ruin local municipalities and windmill farms that light up the night skies.

Thanks to PA 233, which was signed by Gov. Whitmer back in 2023, local towns are powerless when the billionaire-owned companies come to town and take our farmland.

That’s a dictatorship, no? What happened to No Kings?

Laughably, the Commission approved the Saline Data Center with safeguards—whatever that means—to protect residential and other customers from bearing any costs associated with its development and continued operation.

Yet here we are, eating rate hikes from DTE year after year.

Oh, and don’t forget, DTE and Consumers Energy have to generate or purchase 100% clean energy by 2040. With data centers coming to town and PA 233, you can bet that the MPSC will enable every out-of-state solar and wind company to do whatever they want in order to hit this initiative.

So who are these people appointed to ruining our state?

First up is Dan Scripps of Leelanau. Dan is the commissioner chair who was appointed in 2019 and became chair in July of 2020. His term ends in 2029. Dan lives comfortably up north, far away from potential solar, wind or data center projects.

He could probably care less about what happens to our small towns as long as he doesn’t have to look at them. His credentials include all the nauseating hallmarks of a Green Energy zealot, which we know is the best option in a state that doesn’t see the sun for half the year.

Great job, Dan!

Next up is Katherine Peretick of Plymouth. She was appointed in 2021 and her term ends in 2027. She has a background in energy storage and tech development. She previously worked internationally for wind turbine manufacturer Vestas.

Vestas just so happens to have 157 wind turbines operating in Michigan, with 101 of them operating in the north portion of Michigan’s thumb and far away from Peretick’s half-a-million-dollar home in Plymouth.

No conflict of interest, I’m sure.

And finally, we have Shaquila Myers of Lansing. Myers is the most recent appointee, inserted in July 2025 with her term ending in 2031.

According to her bio on the MPSC website, she has no experience working in the green energy sector; however, she “led efforts to pay off public school debt, and ushered through a historic clean energy package that will lower utility costs for Michiganders.”

For those wondering the average compensation for these commissioners, it was approximately $160,000 a year as of 2023.

I can almost guarantee there have been a few pay bumps (and maybe kickbacks?) within the last three years. The average salary in our state is under $50,000 a year.

The Whitmer-appointed Michigan Public Service Commission controls the money in our pockets.

They support the billion-dollar utility monopolies, prioritize out of state solar and wind companies over local municipalities, and will put a data center in your neighborhood while claiming they care about green energy.