Yes, You Can Read Your Own Meter

Yes, you can read your own meter and send the readings to DTE. DTE does a pretty good job of hiding its web page on that, and its customer service people sometimes tell you you can't read your own meter, but, in fact you can.

This meter read would be 171719--notice how you choose the number that the needle is closest to, except if it is between 0 and 9.

You can email or call DTE with your readings. Call readings in at 800-477-4747. As this is DTE's main number (the only one they ever give out), expect to wait 20 minutes or more to talk to a human being.

Better to email your reading to MyMeterRead@dteenergy.com. 


Be sure to include

• customer's name (it might not be you, but that of your spouse, partner, parent, etc.)
• address
• date of meter read
• whether the reading is for your electric or gas meter

Be sure to send in reads for both electric and gas.
 
DTE tells you to also include a photo of the meter, which is absurd. If you call in your reading, you obviously are not also transmitting a photo. If your reported read is at variance with your normal reads, they should let you know.

Here is DTE's page on reading your own meter. When you click this link, you will think you are on the Advanced Metering page. DTE just used your money and mine to create a new website, apparently in part with the aim of making things harder to find. If you look more closely, to the right of the dark blue tab "Advanced Meter," you will see that there is a tab for "Traditional Meter." Click that. They don't provide a separate weblink for that tab. Funny--our web designer doesn't get paid, and he does a way better job than they do!

Grammatical note: DTE also doesn't seem to be able to correctly use its own or the smart meter industry's lingo on this page. Instead of "Advanced Metering Infrastructure," the page says "Advanced Meter Infrastructure." Ah, well.

 
On August 18, 2015, DTE old customer Steve Habetler via his Facebook page that he could submit his reading via email: "DTE Energy Hi Steve, you may submit your meter reading via email to mymeterread@dteenergy.com. Be sure to include your account information. Thanks for reaching out to us."

Learn more about DTE, smart meters, analog meters, and the health, privacy, and cost hazards of smart meters on our main website, Smart Meter Education Network.