Here’s a quick guide to the key terms you’ll see each month on your DTE gas bill:
Customer charge: You’ll see this charge on your bill – even when your gas usage is low – to cover the billing, customer service and meter reading costs to support all of our customers. If you are a DTE Electric customer, you will also see a similar service charge on your bill.
Gas distribution charge: The people and systems that deliver natural gas to your home. This charge goes up as you use more natural gas.
Gas cost recovery: The cost of the gas you use. You pay what we pay, with no-mark up.
IRM surcharge: Funds the replacement of older service lines with newer pipes to ensure ongoing safe and reliable service. This will also appear on your bill regardless of how much gas you’re using.
Reservation charge: The cost of storing enough natural gas for our customers so it’s always available when you need it.
Monthly energy usage: A graph that compares your current gas usage to previous months. Usage can vary based on weather and household size.
Are you a DTE Electric customer too? Here’s some more terms to know:
Power supply charges: The cost to generate the energy you use from sources like renewables, nuclear and natural gas.
Distribution charges: The costs to deliver the energy you use and upgrade the grid to be more reliable and resilient to extreme weather.
Other Delivery Volumetric Surcharges: Includes various delivery-related surcharges, including costs for nuclear plant decommissioning and safety, tree trimming and infrastructure recovery.
Are there tools to understand my energy usage further?
Our free energy usage tools make it easy to learn how you use energy so you can make the right decisions for your household’s budget. Sign into or create your DTE online account and use the Bill Analyzer Tool at the “Analyze my Bill” button to help you analyze your daily energy usage.