NEW YORK (Standard&Poor's) March 28, 2003--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services today said it assigned its 'BBB' rating to diversified energy holding company DTE Energy Co.'s $400 million offering of senior unsecured notes. The outlook is stable. Detroit, Mich.-based DTE Energy has about $8.5 billion in debt. "The ratings for DTE Energy are a function of its regulated utility subsidiaries Detroit Edison Co. and Michigan Consolidated Gas Co. (MichCon), and a growing portfolio of higher-risk, nonregulated activities," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst William Ferara. The stable outlook reflects DTE Energy's solid regulated utility operations, Detroit Edison and MichCon, and management's commitment to reduce consolidated debt leverage. However, DTE Energy intends to aggressively expand its higher-risk, nonregulated activities. Therefore,
