DTE Energy 10-Q 2021-09-30

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

__________________________________________

FORM 10-Q

☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Quarterly Period ended September 30, 2021

Or

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission File Number: 1-11607

DTE Energy Company

Commission File Number: 1-2198

DTE Electric Company

Registrants address of principal executive offices: One Energy Plaza, Detroit, Michigan 48226-1279

Registrants telephone number, including area code: (313) 235-4000

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Number of shares of Common Stock outstanding at September 30, 2021:

This combined Form 10-Q is filed separately by two registrants: DTE Energy and DTE Electric. Information contained herein relating to any individual registrant is filed by such registrant solely on its own behalf. DTE Electric makes no representation as to information relating exclusively to DTE Energy.

DTE Electric, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of DTE Energy, meets the conditions set forth in General Instructions H(1)(a) and (b) of Form 10-Q and is therefore filing this form with the reduced disclosure format specified in General Instructions H(2) of Form 10-Q.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEFINITIONS

DEFINITIONS

FILING FORMAT

This combined Form 10-Q is separately filed by DTE Energy and DTE Electric. Information in this combined Form 10-Q relating to each individual Registrant is filed by such Registrant on its own behalf. DTE Electric makes no representation regarding information relating to any other companies affiliated with DTE Energy other than its own subsidiaries. Neither DTE Energy, nor any of DTE Energy’s other subsidiaries (other than DTE Electric), has any obligation in respect of DTE Electric's debt securities, and holders of such debt securities should not consider the financial resources or results of operations of DTE Energy nor any of DTE Energy’s other subsidiaries (other than DTE Electric and its own subsidiaries (in relevant circumstances)) in making a decision with respect to DTE Electric's debt securities. Similarly, none of DTE Electric nor any other subsidiary of DTE Energy has any obligation in respect to debt securities of DTE Energy. This combined Form 10-Q should be read in its entirety. No one section of this combined Form 10-Q deals with all aspects of the subject matter of this combined Form 10-Q. This combined Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and with Management's Discussion and Analysis included in the combined DTE Energy and DTE Electric 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information presented herein includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 with respect to the financial condition, results of operations, and businesses of the Registrants. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "may," "could," "projected," "aspiration," "plans," and "goals" signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and conditions, but rather are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties that may cause actual future results to be materially different from those contemplated, projected, estimated, or budgeted. Many factors may impact forward-looking statements of the Registrants including, but not limited to, the following:

• Risks related to the separation of DT Midstream, including that providing DT Midstream with transition services could adversely affect our business and that the transaction may not achieve some or all of the anticipated benefits;

• the duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Registrants and customers;

• impact of regulation by the EPA, EGLE, the FERC, the MPSC, the NRC, and for DTE Energy, the CFTC and CARB, as well as other applicable governmental proceedings and regulations, including any associated impact on rate structures;

• the amount and timing of cost recovery allowed as a result of regulatory proceedings, related appeals, or new legislation, including legislative amendments and retail access programs;

• economic conditions and population changes in the Registrants' geographic area resulting in changes in demand, customer conservation, and thefts of electricity and, for DTE Energy, natural gas;

• the operational failure of electric or gas distribution systems or infrastructure;

• impact of volatility in prices in international steel markets on the operations of DTE Vantage (formerly Power and Industrial Projects);

• the risk of a major safety incident;

• environmental issues, laws, regulations, and the increasing costs of remediation and compliance, including actual and potential new federal and state requirements;

• the cost of protecting assets and customer data against, or damage due to, cyber incidents and terrorism;

• health, safety, financial, environmental, and regulatory risks associated with ownership and operation of nuclear facilities;

• volatility in commodity markets, deviations in weather, and related risks impacting the results of DTE Energy's energy trading operations;

• changes in the cost and availability of coal and other raw materials, purchased power, and natural gas;

• advances in technology that produce power, store power, or reduce power consumption;

• changes in the financial condition of significant customers and strategic partners;

• the potential for losses on investments, including nuclear decommissioning and benefit plan assets and the related increases in future expense and contributions;

• access to capital markets and the results of other financing efforts which can be affected by credit agency ratings;

• instability in capital markets which could impact availability of short and long-term financing;

• the timing and extent of changes in interest rates;

• the level of borrowings;

• the potential for increased costs or delays in completion of significant capital projects;

• changes in, and application of, federal, state, and local tax laws and their interpretations, including the Internal Revenue Code, regulations, rulings, court proceedings, and audits;

• the effects of weather and other natural phenomena on operations and sales to customers, and purchases from suppliers;

• unplanned outages;

• employee relations and the impact of collective bargaining agreements;

• the availability, cost, coverage, and terms of insurance and stability of insurance providers;

• cost reduction efforts and the maximization of plant and distribution system performance;

• the effects of competition;

• changes in and application of accounting standards and financial reporting regulations;

• changes in federal or state laws and their interpretation with respect to regulation, energy policy, and other business issues;

• contract disputes, binding arbitration, litigation, and related appeals; and

• the risks discussed in the Registrants' public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

New factors emerge from time to time. The Registrants cannot predict what factors may arise or how such factors may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made. The Registrants undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Part I — Financial Information

DTE Energy Company

Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)

See Combined Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

DTE Energy Company

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)

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The following combined discussion is separately filed by DTE Energy and DTE Electric. However, DTE Electric does not make any representations as to information related solely to DTE Energy or the subsidiaries of DTE Energy other than itself.

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW

DTE Energy is a diversified energy company and is the parent company of DTE Electric and DTE Gas, regulated electric and natural gas utilities engaged primarily in the business of providing electricity and natural gas sales, distribution, and storage services throughout Michigan. DTE Energy also operates two energy-related non-utility segments with operations throughout the United States.

On July 1, 2021, DTE Energy completed the separation of its natural gas pipeline, storage and gathering non-utility business. Effective with the separation, DTE retains no ownership in the new company, DT Midstream, which was formerly comprised of DTE Energy’s Gas Storage and Pipelines segment and certain DTE Energy holding company activity within the Corporate and Other segment. Gas Storage and Pipelines is no longer a reportable segment of DTE Energy, and financial results of DT Midstream are presented as discontinued operations in the Consolidated Financial Statements. Refer to Note 4 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, “Dispositions and Impairments,” for additional information regarding the separation of DT Midstream and discontinued operations.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations below reflect DTE Energy’s continuing operations, unless noted otherwise. The following table summarizes DTE Energy's financial results:

The decrease in Net Income for both periods was primarily due to lower earnings in the Corporate and Other segment, driven primarily by the loss on debt extinguishment incurred in the third quarter 2021. The decrease in Net Income for the three months ended September 30, 2021 was also due to lower earnings in the DTE Electric and Energy Trading segments, partially offset by higher earnings in the DTE Vantage segment. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the decrease in Net Income was also due to lower earnings in the Energy Trading segment, partially offset by higher earnings in the Electric and Gas segments.

STRATEGY

DTE Energy's strategy is to achieve long-term earnings growth, a strong balance sheet, and an attractive dividend yield.

DTE Energy's utilities are investing capital to improve customer reliability through investments in base infrastructure and new generation, and to comply with environmental requirements. DTE Energy expects that planned significant capital investments will result in earnings growth. DTE Energy is focused on executing plans to achieve operational excellence and customer satisfaction with a focus on customer affordability. DTE Energy operates in a constructive regulatory environment and has solid relationships with its regulators.

DTE Energy is committed to reduce the carbon emissions of its electric utility operations by 32% by 2023, 50% by 2028, and 80% by 2040 from 2005 carbon emissions levels. DTE Energy is also committed to a net zero carbon emissions goal by 2050 for its electric utility and gas utility operations. To achieve the reduction goals in the near term, DTE Energy will transition away from coal-powered sources and incorporate more renewable energy, energy waste reduction projects, demand response, and natural gas fueled generation. DTE Energy has already begun the transition in the way it produces power through the continued retirement of its aging coal-fired plants. Refer to the "Capital Investments" section below for further discussion.

DTE Energy has significant investments in non-utility businesses and expects growth opportunities in its DTE Vantage segment. DTE Energy employs disciplined investment criteria when assessing growth opportunities that leverage its assets, skills, and expertise, and provides diversity in earnings and geography. Specifically, DTE Energy invests in targeted energy markets with attractive competitive dynamics where meaningful scale is in alignment with its risk profile.

A key priority for DTE Energy is to maintain a strong balance sheet which facilitates access to capital markets and reasonably priced short-term and long-term financing. Near-term growth will be funded through internally generated cash flows and the issuance of debt and equity. DTE Energy has an enterprise risk management program that, among other things, is designed to monitor and manage exposure to earnings and cash flow volatility related to commodity price changes, interest rates, and counterparty credit risk.

CAPITAL INVESTMENTS

DTE Energy's utility businesses require significant capital investments to maintain and improve the electric generation and electric and natural gas distribution infrastructure and to comply with environmental regulations and renewable energy requirements.

DTE Electric's capital investments over the 2021-2025 period are estimated at $14 billion, comprised of $5 billion for capital replacements and other projects, $7 billion for distribution infrastructure, and $2 billion for renewable generation. DTE Electric has retired six coal-fired generation units at the Trenton Channel, River Rouge, and St. Clair facilities and has announced plans to retire its remaining eleven coal-fired generating units, including five units at Trenton Channel and St. Clair in 2022. The two units at the Belle River facility will cease the use of coal by 2028 and will be evaluated for conversion to cleaner energy resources. The final four units at the Monroe facility are expected to be retired by 2040. Generation from the retired facilities will be replaced or offset with renewables, energy waste reduction, demand response, and natural gas fueled generation.

DTE Gas' capital investments over the 2021-2025 period are estimated at $3 billion, comprised of $1.4 billion for base infrastructure and $1.6 billion for gas main renewal, meter move out, and pipeline integrity programs.

DTE Electric and DTE Gas plan to seek regulatory approval for capital expenditures consistent with ratemaking treatment.

DTE Energy's non-utility businesses' capital investments are primarily for expansion, growth, and ongoing maintenance in the DTE Vantage segment, including approximately $1 billion to $1.4 billion from 2021-2025 for industrial energy services and renewable energy projects.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

The Registrants are subject to extensive environmental regulations. Additional costs may result as the effects of various substances on the environment are studied and governmental regulations are developed and implemented. Actual costs to comply could vary substantially. The Registrants expect to continue recovering environmental costs related to utility operations through rates charged to customers, as authorized by the MPSC.

Increased costs for energy produced from traditional coal-based sources due to recent, pending, and future regulatory initiatives could also

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Market Price Risk

The Electric and Gas businesses have commodity price risk, primarily related to the purchases of coal, natural gas, uranium, and electricity. However, the Registrants do not bear significant exposure to earnings risk, as such changes are included in the PSCR and GCR regulatory rate-recovery mechanisms. In addition, changes in the price of natural gas can impact the valuation of lost and stolen gas, storage sales, and transportation services revenue at the Gas segment. The Gas segment manages its market price risk related to storage sales revenue primarily through the sale of long-term storage contracts. The Registrants are exposed to short-term cash flow or liquidity risk as a result of the time differential between actual cash settlements and regulatory rate recovery.

The DTE Vantage segment is subject to electricity, natural gas, and coal product price risk. DTE Energy manages its exposure to commodity price risk through the use of long-term contracts.

DTE Energy's Energy Trading business segment has exposure to electricity, natural gas, environmental, crude oil, heating oil, and foreign currency exchange price fluctuations. These risks are managed by the energy marketing and trading operations through the use of forward energy, capacity, storage, options, and futures contracts, within predetermined risk parameters.

Credit Risk

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Registrants regularly review contingent matters, existing and future economic conditions, customer trends and other factors relating to customers and their contracts and record provisions for amounts considered at risk of probable loss in the allowance for doubtful accounts. The Registrants believe their accrued amounts are adequate for probable loss.

Trading Activities

DTE Energy is exposed to credit risk through trading activities. Credit risk is the potential loss that may result if the trading counterparties fail to meet their contractual obligations. DTE Energy utilizes both external and internal credit assessments when determining the credit quality of trading counterparties.

The following table displays the credit quality of DTE Energy's trading counterparties as of September 30, 2021:

(a)This category includes counterparties with minimum credit ratings of Baa3 assigned by Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) or BBB-assigned by Standard & Poor’s Rating Group, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (Standard & Poor’s). The five largest counterparty exposures, combined, for this category represented 11% of the total gross credit exposure.

(b)This category includes counterparties with credit ratings that are below investment grade. The five largest counterparty exposures, combined, for this category represented less than 1% of the total gross credit exposure.

(c)This category includes counterparties that have not been rated by Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s but are considered investment grade based on DTE Energy’s evaluation of the counterparty’s creditworthiness. The five largest counterparty exposures, combined, for this category represented 23% of the total gross credit exposure.

(d)This category includes counterparties that have not been rated by Moody’s or Standard & Poor’s and are considered non-investment grade based on DTE Energy’s evaluation of the counterparty’s creditworthiness. The five largest counterparty exposures, combined, for this category represented 2% of the total gross credit exposure.

Other

The Registrants engage in business with customers that are non-investment grade. The Registrants closely monitor the credit ratings of these customers and, when deemed necessary and permitted under the tariffs, request collateral or guarantees from such customers to secure their obligations.

Interest Rate Risk

DTE Energy is subject to interest rate risk in connection with the issuance of debt. In order to manage interest costs, DTE Energy may use treasury locks and interest rate swap agreements. DTE Energy's exposure to interest rate risk arises primarily from changes in U.S. Treasury rates, commercial paper rates, and LIBOR. As of September 30, 2021, DTE Energy had floating rate debt of $361 million and a floating rate debt-to-total debt ratio of 2.05%.

Foreign Currency Exchange Risk

DTE Energy has foreign currency exchange risk arising from market price fluctuations associated with fixed priced contracts. These contracts are denominated in Canadian dollars and are primarily for the purchase and sale of natural gas and power, as well as for long-term transportation capacity. To limit DTE Energy's exposure to foreign currency exchange fluctuations, DTE Energy has entered into a series of foreign currency exchange forward contracts through June 2030.

Summary of Sensitivity Analyses

Sensitivity analyses were performed on the fair values of commodity contracts for DTE Energy and long-term debt obligations for the Registrants. The commodity contracts listed below principally relate to energy marketing and trading activities. The sensitivity analyses involved increasing and decreasing forward prices and rates at September 30, 2021 and 2020 by a hypothetical 10% and calculating the resulting change in the fair values. The hypothetical losses related to long-term debt would be realized only if DTE Energy transferred all of its fixed-rate long-term debt to other creditors.

The results of the sensitivity analyses:

For further discussion of market risk, see Note 9 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, "Financial and Other Derivative Instruments."

DTE Energy

(a) Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures

Management of DTE Energy carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of DTE Energy's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), of the effectiveness of the design and operation of DTE Energy's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) as of September 30, 2021, which is the end of the period covered by this report. Based on this evaluation, DTE Energy's CEO and CFO have concluded that such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in providing reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by DTE Energy in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act (i) is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms and (ii) is accumulated and communicated to DTE Energy's management, including its CEO and CFO, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Due to the inherent limitations in the effectiveness of any disclosure controls and procedures, management cannot provide absolute assurance that the objectives of its disclosure controls and procedures will be attained.

(b) Changes in internal control over financial reporting

There have been no changes in DTE Energy's internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended September 30, 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, DTE Energy's internal control over financial reporting.

DTE Electric

(a) Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures

Management of DTE Electric carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of DTE Electric's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), of the effectiveness of the design and operation of DTE Electric's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) as of September 30, 2021, which is the end of the period covered by this report. Based on this evaluation, DTE Electric's CEO and CFO have concluded that such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in providing reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by DTE Electric in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act (i) is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's rules and forms and (ii) is accumulated and communicated to DTE Electric's management, including its CEO and CFO, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Due to the inherent limitations in the effectiveness of any disclosure controls and procedures, management cannot provide absolute assurance that the objectives of its disclosure controls and procedures will be attained.

(b) Changes in internal control over financial reporting

There have been no changes in DTE Electric's internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended September 30, 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, DTE Electric's internal control over financial reporting.

Part II — Other Information

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

For information on legal proceedings and matters related to the Registrants, see Notes 6 and 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, "Regulatory Matters" and "Commitments and Contingencies," respectively.

For environmental proceedings in which the government is a party, the Registrants have included disclosures if any sanctions of $1 million or greater are expected.

There are various risks associated with the operations of the Registrants' businesses. To provide a framework to understand the operating environment of the Registrants, a brief explanation of the more significant risks associated with the Registrants' businesses is provided in Part 1, Item 1A. Risk Factors in DTE Energy's and DTE Electric's combined 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Although the Registrants have tried to identify and discuss key risk factors, others could emerge in the future.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

Purchases of DTE Energy Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers

The following table provides information about DTE Energy's purchases of equity securities that are registered by DTE Energy pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act of 1934 for the quarter ended September 30, 2021:

(a)Represents shares of DTE Energy common stock withheld to satisfy income tax obligations upon the vesting of restricted stock based on the price in effect at the grant date.

Signatures

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrants have duly caused this report to be signed on their behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. The signature for each undersigned Registrant shall be deemed to relate only to matters having reference to such Registrant and any subsidiaries thereof.