Title
Resolution Requesting the City Administrator to Engage with the Michigan Legislature and Michigan Public Service Commission to Advance Energy Equity and Resilience
Staff
Reviewed by: Missy Stults, Directory of Sustainability & Innovations
Body
Whereas, Access to electricity is an essential service for Ann Arborites, and without it people struggle to maintain employment, and access necessities for their health, safety, and well-being;
Whereas, In the last three years, Ann Arborites have experienced multiple prolonged power outages, with three outages affecting thousands of residents for 3 days or more;
Whereas, Ann Arborites endured a multitude of multi-day outages in 2022 and the Michigan Public Service Commission stated publicly: "the reality is that we still haven't seen the improvements in reliability and safety that Michigan customers deserve," (1) but, at the same time, DTE told investors that it had earned more than a billion dollars in profit "while providing reliable, affordable service for our customers;" (2)
Whereas, More frequent and intensive extreme weather events, fueled by global climate change, will only make outage events such as these more common without proactive measures;
Whereas, Ann Arbor offered testimony in the prior DTE rate case highlighting DTE's failure to incorporate the impacts of climate change on storm frequency and intensity into its planning;
Whereas, Marginalized and under-resourced communities -- such as communities of color, those with disabilities, and low-income residents, among others -- are disproportionately impacted by prolonged outages, which further exacerbates energy injustice;
Whereas, "Utility redlining," such as lower hosting capacity, lower and uneven grid modernization, lower priority for grid hardening, and outdated and increased age of production and distribution infrastructure in low-income and BIPOC neighborhoods has created an inequitable energy infrastructure where marginalized communities...
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