The DTE peak usage program is unfair, unjust, and discriminatory to low-income families, black people, and residents of bad substandard housing buildings in Detroit.

The program charges customers higher rates for electricity during peak hours (3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays) and lower rates during off-peak hours (before 3 p.m. and after 7 p.m. on weekdays . Yet on weekends , consumers are charged the peak price all day.

This means that customers who use more electricity during peak hours, such as for cooking, cooling, or lighting, will pay more than those who can shift their consumption to off-peak hours. 

However, low-income families, black people, and residents of bad substandard housing buildings in Detroit are more likely to use more electricity during peak hours and have less flexibility to change their behavior. 

This is because:  Low-income families have lower rates of in-home internet connectivity compared with higher-income groups.

This means that they may rely more on public services, such as libraries or schools, for online access, which are open during peak hours. They may also have less access to smart devices or appliances that can help them monitor or control their energy use remotely.

Black people are disproportionately affected by environmental racism and injustice, which exposes them to higher levels of air pollution, heat stress, and health risks.

 This means that they may need more electricity for cooling or medical equipment during peak hours to cope with the adverse effects of climate change and environmental degradation.

Residents of bad substandard housing buildings in Detroit face poor housing conditions, such as inadequate insulation, ventilation, or wiring, that increase their energy demand and reduce their energy efficiency.

This means that they may use more electricity for heating or cooling during peak hours to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature and avoid safety hazards.

Therefore, the DTE peak usage program penalizes low-income families, black people, and residents of bad substandard housing buildings in Detroit for their energy use during peak hours, which is largely determined by their socioeconomic status, racial identity, and housing quality.

The program also widens the energy affordability gap and the digital divide between the rich and the poor, the white and the black, and the urban and the suburban. The program is not only economically inefficient, but also socially inequitable and morally reprehensible. 

This petition is to get Governor Whitmer who appointed members on the MPSC board in charge of implementation of the Peak Usage , to either remove it completely or drastically change how it is implemented to better serve Detroit and it's surrounding cities consumers .