FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Robert Conrad, Director
Department of Public Works
City of Dearborn Heights, Michigan
Tel: (313) 791-6000
DTE Energy advises residents to contact DTE Energy to schedule natural gas safety meter inspection
Homes and businesses not complying with DTE meter inspection are subject to gas shut-off, with charges up to $6,000 to restore service
Dearborn Heights, Michigan – DTE Energy has notified the City of Dearborn Heights that anumber of the city’s homes and business buildings have yet to schedule safety inspections of their natural gas meters – particularly those that are still located indoors. IT IS CRITICAL THAT HOME AND BUSINESS OWNERS CONTACT DTE TO SCHEDULE A FREE METER INSPECTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
According to DTE Government Relations Director Barbara Rykwalder, “ . . . the purpose of conducting these meter inspections is a critical part of keeping our customers safe.” The inspections are mandated by the Michigan Public Service Commission. Inspections on indoor meters are required every 3 years, and there is no charge for the inspection.
The inspection is free, and is conducted by either a DTE Energy employee or a representative of DTE’s designated vendor RECONN. In either case, the inspector will have positive identification (either a DTE Energy badge or a RECONN badge) they will present before gaining access to the customer’s meter. If the individual is unable to present a badge, DO NOT LET THEM ENTER YOUR HOME, as they could be an imposter. Additionally, since these inspections are free, so the representative should never request a payment of any type. If a customer is unsure of the authenticity of the technician, they should ask the technician to wait outside while they call DTE Energy at (877) 853-9434 to confirm their authenticity and visit.
Inspection will take approximately 15 minutes. If a leak is detected (although rare), the technician will repair it free of charge. If a repair is needed, the process would likely take slightly longer than just the 15-minute inspection.
DTE is also directly contacting residents and businesses whose meters need to be inspected, and encouraging them to contact DTE Energy to schedule an inspection. Inspections can be scheduled either by phone or e-mail by contacting (877) 853-9434 or GFO-MeterAssemblyCheck@dteenergy.com.
“I can’t stress enough the importance of scheduling these meter inspections” Rykwalder explained. “We are committed to keeping our customers safe from potential gas meter leaks, although the occurrence of this is extremely rare”. Also, it is important to remind our customers that without allowing access to perform this vital safety inspection, DTE Energy must shut off the natural gas service to the home or place of business. If this happens, restoring the service is a complex and expensive process, which will cost the customer upwards of $6,000 to complete. If a customer has received a “final notice” notification, it is vital that they contact DTE Energy immediately to avoid a shut-off”.
Dearborn Heights Mayor Bill Bazzi echoed Rykwalder’s comments by adding “DTE Energy is one of our most trusted partners, and provides an incredibly important resource – electrical power – reliably to our residents. I urge residents who have not done this yet to contact DTE and get their meters inspected as soon as possible to avoid potential shut-offs and the resulting re-connection fees”.
DTE Gas Final Meter Inspection Letter (PDF)
DTE Gas Meter Inspection Fact Sheet (PDF)
2023-11-15 - Release - DTE advises residents to contact DTE to schedule natural gas safety meter inspection (PDF)