Michigan Energy First (MEF) is a nominally independent nonprofit group that is allegedly funded by the largest energy utility in Michigan, DTE Energy. ¹ MEF often operates publicly under the assumed names Alliance for Michigan Power, Michigan Energy Promise, and Protect Our Values. ¹

MEF works to advance the public policy interests of Michigan’s investor-owned utility companies and has made significant contributions to elected officials, candidates, political parties, and related organizations, including $1,850,000 given to committees that supported Democratic candidates in Michigan’s 2022 elections. ^{2 3} It supports left-of-center energy policies at the state and federal level that would allow DTE Energy and other regulated utilities to profit from the construction of solar and wind farms and other weather-dependent energy infrastructure. ^{4 2}

Leadership

While DTE Energy has publicly denied controlling Michigan Energy First, its leadership has largely been comprised of DTE Energy executives since its founding in 2014. ⁵

The board president of Michigan Energy First is Andrew Coulouris, the vice president of corporate and government affairs for DTE Energy. ^{6 7} Its other board members include another DTE Energy executive and one of the company’s independent board members, as well as two retired state legislators and an attorney connected to DTE. ^{6 2}

Policy Priorities

Michigan Energy First supports efforts by DTE Energy and other investor-owned utilities in Michigan to profit from so-called “clean energy” initiatives from the federal and state governments. ⁴ It works to influence state elected officials toward policies that advance DTE Energy’s interests, and to block efforts to increase costs or accountability for the company. ²

MEF supported many energy policy proposals from the Biden administration, including the Build Back Better Act’s tax credits for construction of solar, nuclear, and other non-fossil fuel electrical generation infrastructure and the American Jobs Plan’s federal funding for electrical grids and other related infrastructure. ^{8 9}

DTE Energy and MEF broadly supported a 2023 package of laws in Michigan from Democratic legislators and Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) that requires Michigan to achieve 100% “clean energy” by 2040. ¹⁰ However, MEF has also worked to oppose left-of-center environmental policies that would be counter to the perceived business interests of electric utilities, such as legislation that would encourage rooftop solar installations in Michigan. ¹¹

Political Donations

Michigan Energy First regularly makes donations to political groups connected to both the Democratic and Republican Parties. ⁴

In 2023, MEF made a $100,000 donation to a leadership PAC connected to then-Michigan State House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) during a time when the Michigan House of Representatives was considering legislation that would have forced the state’s regulated utilities to meet more stringent reliability standards after a string of large, high-profile power outages. While the legislation was reported out of the House’s energy subcommittee, then-Speaker Tate did not allow the House to hold a vote on it before the end of the session. ¹²

In 2022, MEF gave $200,000 to Building a Better Economy, a nonprofit associated with then-House minority leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Township), who would become Speaker of the House in 2025 after Republicans won a majority in the 2024 election. ^{6 13}

All told, MEF made $2,260,000 in donations to nonprofits associated with Democratic and Republican candidates or other governmental policy-related topics in 2022, and $5.7 million in such donations in 2020. ⁶

1. “Assumed Names: MICHIGAN ENERGY FIRST.” Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://cofs.lara.state.mi.us/CorpWeb/UAA/UAAAssumedNames.aspx?CID=CV45Q2&PageType=VIEW.
2. Mauger, Craig. “DTE-Tied Nonprofit Quietly Gave $2M to Michigan Democrats Ahead of Energy Work.” The Detroit News, October 6, 2023. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2023/10/06/dte-tied-nonprofit-millions-to-michigan-democrats-ahead-of-energy-work/71075007007.
3. LeBlanc, Beth. “Legislators Decry ‘dark Money’ Influence in Primary.” The Detroit News, August 20, 2018. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/08/19/lawmakers-blame-dark-money-political-attacks-primary-election/1001620002/.
4. “Michigan Energy First.” Energy and Policy Institute. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://energyandpolicy.org/michigan-energy-first/.
5. Perkins, Tom. “New Settlement Agreement Aims to Put Spotlight on DTE-Linked Dark…” Canary Media, August 28, 2023. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/enn/new-settlement-agreement-aims-to-put-spotlight-on-dte-linked-dark-money.
6. “Michigan Energy First.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/472568177.
7. “DTE Energy Names Andy Coulouris to Vice President, Corporate and Government Affairs.” DTE Energy Company, November 17, 2022. https://ir.dteenergy.com/news/press-release-details/2022/DTE-Energy-names-Andy-Coulouris-to-vice-president-Corporate-and-Government-Affairs/default.aspx.
8. “Positive Energy Policies Advance in 2021.” Alliance for Michigan Power. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://allianceformichiganpower.com/positive-energy-policies-advance-in-2021/.
9. “Infrastructure Week Highlights Need for Clean Energy Investments.” Alliance for Michigan Power. Accessed March 3, 2025. https://allianceformichiganpower.com/infrastructure-week-highlights-need-for-clean-energy-investments/.
10. “Governor Whitmer Signs Historic Clean Energy & Climate Action Package.” State of Michigan, November 28, 2023. https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2023/11/28/governor-whitmer-signs-historic-clean-energy-climate-action-package.
11. Perkins, Tom. “Michigan Solar Supporters Make New Push to Eliminate Rooftop Solar Caps.” Canary Media, April 12, 2021. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/enn/michigan-solar-supporters-make-new-push-to-eliminate-rooftop-solar-caps.
12.  Mauger, Craig. “DTE Energy-Linked Nonprofit Quietly Gave $100,000 to House Speaker Fund amid Outage Anger.” The Detroit News, December 16, 2024. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2024/12/16/dte-energy-linked-group-gave-100k-house-speaker-joe-tate-dark-money-account-amid-power-outage-anger/77025045007/.
13. Mauger, Craig. “Consumers Energy-Backed Group Made Big Donations to Democrats before Energy Law Rewrite.” The Detroit News, February 4, 2024. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2024/02/04/consumers-energy-nonprofit-donations-michigan-democrats-dark-money-campaign-finance-electricity-laws/72452179007.