(CBS) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is once again fighting back against a proposed tariff increase by DTE Energy.

Nessel accuses the energy company of spending huge sums on company jets for its CEOs and trying to pass these costs on to customers.

DTE is demanding another tariff increase just months after a previous increase that was Increase of 368 million US dollars.

In testimony before the Michigan Public Service Commission, Nessel said DTE officials have driven up the cost of running the utility by spending on business travel. Another rate increase would mean a 10% increase in bills. Nessel argued the move was “excessive and unnecessary.”

This opinion is shared by business owner Carly Leisk, owner of Culture Beer and Cheese in downtown Brighton.

“I understand that energy isn’t free, but it’s a lot of extra hassle for us when we’re already dealing with rising rents and high food costs,” Leisk said. “I’d love to take a fancy flight on a corporate jet, but that’s not my lifestyle, and I don’t think that should be available to everyone on the money we pay.”

Leisk says her small shop has been open on Brighton’s high street for six years, and between the numerous fridges and hobs, Culture Beer and Cheese uses a lot of electricity.

“We have a lot of things running all the time,” she said. “There are a lot of cooling systems and a lot of machines.”

She said it was frustrating to hear that costs were being passed on to customers, especially when they were for luxury travel.

“I don’t believe every single citizen and business owner should pay for their lifestyle; they can pay for that lifestyle themselves. Don’t deduct that from the taxes I pay,” Leisk said.

According to a statement submitted by the Attorney General’s Office, DTE spent more than $236,000 on corporate flights on private jets in 2022 for travel for investors and its board of directors.

In a statement to CBS News Detroit, DTE said the utility “relied on limited air travel to meet its business needs, including meetings to discuss best practices and information sharing for managing world-class energy companies, as well as meetings necessary to attract investment dollars to Michigan.”

In testimony before the MPSC, Nessel’s office recommended against DTE’s proposed rate increase, noting that the use of private jets runs counter to the utility’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.