The Case for Community Ownership

Community-owned utilities (COUs)–where the ratepayers own the utility rather than corporate shareholders–have been providing reliable electricity to customers across America for decades. Over 2,000 COUs serve 49 million customers in the U.S. Michigan’s 40 COUs charge their customers significantly less on average for much better service than what DTE provides.

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BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY-OWNED UTILITIES

COUs often outperform investor-owned utilities (IOUs) because of one essential difference: IOUs serve their shareholders while COUs serve their ratepayer/owners.

Click on each of the benefits listed below to learn more details about why COUs are a better choice for customers:

• Lower Cost
• Reliable
• Clean

See how Ann Arbor can become the first city in Michigan to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030 in line with our A2 Zero goals (and could deliver universal and affordable broadband to boot?).

MORE DETAILS ON COMMUNITY-OWNED UTILITIES:

• American Public Power Association
• The Promise of Consumer Ownership for Maine (PDF 954K)
• “Review, Assessment and Restatement of the Financial Model Used by London Economics International, LLC in its Report to the Maine Legislature on the Creation of a Consumer-Owned Public Utility” by Dr. Richard Silkman (PDF 946K)
• Pine Tree Power Economic Synopsis by Bill Dunn (PDF 325K)
• JD Power Residential Utility Customer Satisfaction Report 2020 (PDF 213K)