Ann Arbor Public Power Board Explained
Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 7, 2026. Ann Arbor could soon begin exploring a public power option for the entire city. Volunteer petitioners are gathering signatures to qualify a proposed city charter amendment for the November 3 ballot. Approval would create a board to oversee a municipal electric utility, or muni. “This is a big step for public power for all of Ann Arbor,” said Brian Geiringer, executive director of Ann Arbor for Public Power, or A2P2. “It doesn’t commit the city to taking over DTE, but it sets up the electric utility board in 2028.”
June 2026 Newsletter
DTE continues to pour millions into its disinformation campaign via its local front group, which is flooding the internet with ads and our neighborhoods with paid canvassers. They’re delivering a simple message of fear: Replacing DTE will cost the city and its taxpayers $1 billion and raise rates 30-40%. That was the conclusion of the DTE-funded Charles River Associates Ann Arbor municipalization study, which we've rebutted point by point.
Here’s the truth.
The Guardian: “Powerful US utilities secretly fund ‘grassroots’ groups to sway cities away from switch to public power”
“As communities push for publicly owned electricity, private utilities may be deploying dark money and local front groups to stop them”
DTE Front Group Launches Misinformation Campaign Against Grassroots Public Power Effort
DTE Energy has launched a massive misinformation campaign against public power. The new industry-funded front group “Ann Arbor Responsible Energy Coalition” started aggressive social media ads and paid canvassing last week. The campaign uses out-of-state donations to spread false conclusions from a DTE-funded study, wildly exaggerating the costs of municipalizing the local electric grid and attempting to mislead Ann Arbor voters during a pro-democratic, grassroots ballot initiative to establish a public power board.
Ann Arbor for Public Power response to the “Ann Arbor Municipalization Study” from Charles River Associates
DTE paid for this study, so the report should be viewed with great skepticism. DTE wants to make the potential costs of municipalization look as high as possible. The report by Charles River Associates (CRA) is designed to stoke public fears about the cost of a municipal utility, not to present objective factual information.
Response to Questions About City of Ann Arbor 100% Renewable Energy Options Analysis
The “City of Ann Arbor 100% Renewable Energy Options Analysis” study was published in late 2023. Ann Arbor for Public Power’s Research workgroup reviewed the study and compiled a list of questions which were sent to climate & energy attorney, Chris Bzdok for comment.