DTE bill pay kiosks
Update April 2025
DTE Bill Pay policy is if your bill payment is returned, then you are required to pay your monthly bill in cash, for a year. In Feb 2025 they ended the self-pay kiosk option with only 20 left.
Article from Michigan Live — On April 10, 2025, Michigan regulators decided not to intervene with DTE Energy’s policy of requiring certain customers with a returned bill payment to pay their monthly electric bills only in cash for a year. This policy affects about 1% of DTE’s service territory, totaling around 27,880 customers. The cash-only requirement is a temporary measure to prevent customers from accumulating debt, according to DTE.
Advocates, including the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, have criticized the policy for causing additional stress and burden on low-income customers, who must pay in cash at one of 20 payment kiosks or authorized third-party locations. Critics argue that this practice is predatory and forces customers to travel and pay additional fees. DTE has expanded the locations of payment kiosks but still faces criticism for the limited availability in some areas.
The Michigan Public Service Commission ruled that the policy complies with state billing rules, suggesting improvements to customer notices regarding the cash-only requirement and clarifying the rules for credit card fraud cases. The decision comes as DTE received a $217-million rate increase in January 2025 and prepares to seek another hike for the following year.
Update Feb 2025:
As of February 2025, DTE Energy (Detroit-based utility company) no longer operates traditional bill pay kiosks. The company has phased out these physical payment locations in favor of more modern and convenient payment options. However, DTE offers several alternative methods for customers to pay their bills:
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Online payments: Through the DTE Energy website or mobile app
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Phone payments: Via automated system or customer service representative
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Mail: Sending checks or money orders
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Auto Pay: Automatic monthly payments from a bank account or credit card
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Pay in person: At authorized payment locations (e.g., certain stores or financial institutions)
DivDat is still opeating.
DETROIT, Aug. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The DTE Energy kiosk has become the company’s fastest growing bill-payment…
Source: www.prnewswire.com
The number of kiosks has grown from five to 25, located at DTE payment centers and neighborhood Rite Aid drug stores, primarily in Detroit. Many of the drug stores are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for added customer convenience.
DivDat Kiosks For DTE
DTE selected a Michigan-based company, DivDat, to help develop the kiosk technology. In 2014, DTE spent $922 million with Michigan-based suppliers of products and services.