JACKSON, Mich. — Consumers Energy just got the approval it needed to move forward in its plan to become one of the first utility companies in the nation to go coal-free.
The Michigan Public Service Commission approved Consumers Energy’s agreement on a 20-year plan, which they say will meet Michigan’s energy needs while protecting the environment.
That means by 2025 Consumers Energy will have shut down both of their coal plants. One of those plants is located in West Olive on the west side of the state and the other is in Essexville near the Saginaw River in the Thumb region.
Consumers Energy has also purchased the Covert Generating Station in Van Buren County, which is a natural gas-fired power plant. They also plan on purchasing 700 megawatts of electric capacity, which officials say is almost equivalent to a power plant.
“The Clean Energy Plan is a sea change that positions our company as a national leader and empowers us to deliver reliable energy, while protecting the planet for decades to come,” Consumers Energy President and CEO Garrick Rochow said.
The Jackson-based energy corporation also plans to add nearly 8,000 megawatts of solar power by 2040.
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