The Michigan Public Service Commission has approved a $217 million rate hike for DTE Energy.

One condition of the increase by the MPSC order includes allocating $87 million for the utility’s tree trimming program.

MPSC Chair Dan Scripps says improving service reliability is the commission’s main goal.

“We’re supportive of a number of investments specifically tied to improving reliability performance, including $87 million in additional funding for the tree trim surge program, which brings the five-year total that we’ve approved under this program to just under $500 million.”

DTE Spokesperson Rachel Steudle says the utility trims about a million trees every year.

“We have 31,000 overhead line miles and by the end of this year we will have trimmed every one of those miles to our enhanced specification,” Steudle said. “We’ve been executing this work since about 2019. So this year in particular, we’re touching over 6000 miles.”

Steudle says the utility has amplified its efforts to clear away overgrown trees in the last six years.

The rate hike is offset by a power supply cost adjustment made at DTE in November. Residents should not see an increase in their monthly bill. Steudle says customers experience a 40% increase in service reliability after trees are trimmed in an area.

The utility rate hikes are set to take effect on Feb. 6.