DTE Energy 2014 Annual Report Download - page 9

In 2008, a renewable portfolio standard was established for Michigan electric providers targeting 10% of electricity sold to retail customers from
renewable energy by 2015. DTE Electric had approximately 1,000 MW of owned or contracted renewable energy generation, principally wind turbines
located in Gratiot, Tuscola, Huron and Sanilac counties in Michigan, at December 31, 2014. Approximately 900 MW was in commercial operation at
December 31, 2014. DTE Electric expects to meet the 10% renewable portfolio standard in 2015.
DTE Electric expects to retire Trenton Channel Unit 7 (109 MW) in April 2016. Over the next fifteen years, DTE Electric expects to retire additional
coal-fired generation and to increase the proportion of its generation mix attributable to natural gas-fired generation and renewables. In January 2015, DTE
Electric closed on the acquisition of a 732 MW simple-cycle natural gas facility in Carson City, Michigan (Montcalm County). See Note 22 - Subsequent
Event of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report.
DTE Electric owns and operates 675 distribution substations with a capacity of approximately 32,867,000 kilovolt-amperes (kVA) and approximately
432,900 line transformers with a capacity of approximately 23,359,000 kVA.
Circuit miles of electric distribution lines owned and in service as of December 31, 2014:
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


4.8 kV to 13.2 kV
27,807
14,647
24 kV
182
682
40 kV
2,290
385
120 kV
60
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30,339
15,722
There are numerous interconnections that allow the interchange of electricity between DTE Electric and electricity providers external to our service
area. These interconnections are generally owned and operated by ITC Transmission, an unrelated company, and connect to neighboring energy companies.
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DTE Electric's business is subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of various agencies, including, but not limited to, the MPSC, the FERC and the NRC.
The MPSC issues orders pertaining to rates, recovery of certain costs, including the costs of generating facilities and regulatory assets, conditions of service,
accounting and operating-related matters. DTE Electric's MPSC-approved rates charged to customers have historically been designed to allow for the
recovery of costs, plus an authorized rate of return on our investments. The FERC regulates DTE Electric with respect to financing authorization and
wholesale electric activities. The NRC has regulatory jurisdiction over all phases of the operation, construction, licensing and decommissioning of DTE
Electric's nuclear plant operations. We are subject to the requirements of other regulatory agencies with respect to safety, the environment and health.
See Notes 7, 8, 11 and 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of this Report, "Asset Retirement Obligations", "Regulatory Matters", "Fair
Value" and "Commitments and Contingencies".
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Energy assistance programs, funded by the federal government and the State of Michigan, remain critical to DTE Electric’s ability to control its
uncollectible accounts receivable and collections expenses. DTE Electric’s uncollectible accounts receivable expense is directly affected by the level of
government-funded assistance its qualifying customers receive. We work continuously with the State of Michigan and others to determine whether the share
of funding allocated to our customers is representative of the number of low-income individuals in our service territory. We also partner with federal, state
and local officials to attempt to increase the share of low-income funding allocated to our customers. Changes in the level of funding provided to our low-
income customers will affect the level of uncollectible expense.
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