The Ann Arbor City Council has narrowly rejected spending $1.7 million for the feasibility study for a municipal utility. The vote was a 5-5 tie and needed a majority to be approved.
Members of Ann Arbor for Public Power held a rally outside of City Hall ahead of the meeting. The study would have determined the value of DTE’s electric infrastructure.
Council member Dharma Akmon says DTE has failed Ann Arbor residents, but the expected cost of a takeover is far more than she can support.
“Ann Arbor would be starting out by purchasing a deteriorating system that needs billions in upgrades. So, spending $2 million on another study doesn’t change these facts, nor does it promise an outcome that we want, one that will deliver reliability and deliver on the cost concerns that matter most to residents.”
Members of Ann Arbor for Public Power were visibly surprised and upset over the outcome. Executive Director Brian Geiringer says they will seek to get the municipal utility on the November 2026 ballot.
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