DTE’s purpose is to ‘Improve lives with our energy’ which was lived in real time by teams across the enterprise who recently leaned in to keep our customers – especially those most vulnerable – safe.
The heat wave that hit Southeast Michigan last week was one for the books with multiple days of extreme temperatures. Our team worked 24/7 in preparation to strengthen our energy grid – both generation and distribution – to withstand increasingly extreme weather.
We also partnered with our communities to keep our customers safe. Our Community Engagement team distributed 1,250 box fans to keep customers cool and delivered 76 pallets of water – more than 110,000 bottles of water! – to 43 stakeholders across Wayne, Washtenaw, Oakland and Macomb counties. They identified cooling centers and community hubs in need of supplies, delivering resources and hope for those who needed it most.
Community partners are vital to DTE’s mission as they have a pulse on local needs and work alongside our company to build a thriving Michigan for a better tomorrow. And connection to these local groups across our service territory is the driving force behind our Community Engagement team.
“Organizations like these – Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, SOS Community Services, the City of Ypsilanti, Pittsfield Township, and Washtenaw County’s Mobile Support Services Initiative along with many others – serve as a vital lifeline for our neighbors, offering not only essential resources but also a safe and welcoming space for the community,” said Tray McGuire, Senior Program Manager of Community Engagement. “It’s a privilege to support our partners, who are often the heartbeat of the communities we serve. We remain committed to standing by them – living DTE’s purpose of improving lives with our energy each day.”