DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A greener and cleaner utility, that's the goal for the Board of Water and Light as the broke ground on a new power plant.
The Delta Energy Park is expected to create over 1,200 jobs. But BWL says, what's more, is that it is a bridge towards cleaner energy.
"A few short years ago, we burned over 2 million tons of coal a year in the Lansing area. In 2025, we won't burn a pound," BWL General manager Richard Peffley said.
A coal-free energy source--a lofty goal for a company that once burned millions of tons a year. The BWL says that's the plan because that's what its customers want.
"It's the right thing to do. But it's only a piece. You have to look at energy efficiency, sustainability, and you put it all together and it's a package that our customers want and they have told us that and we plan on listening," Peffley added.
The new plant will replace the Eckert and Erickson power stations, set to shut down next year and in 2025, respectively. Mayor Andy Schor is looking forward to it.
"We want to make sure that things are affordable for our residents. And this is going to create a new plant that is cleaner energy through natural gas and yet will be reliable and sustainable, that was prices won't spike and people won't be priced out of being able to utilize the energy and products. It's incremental, but it's definitely a step in the right direction," he said.
This will be BWL's second natural gas plant. Using it to replace the coal plants will reduce its carbon emissions by 80 percent. Peffley says breaking ground on this day, in particular, is fitting.
"We're very excited. It was 50 years ago almost to the day that we broke ground at the Erickson plant and now...we're on the same location breaking ground on a combined-cycle gas plant."
The energy park is expected to be fully operational by the year 2021. BWL also said they expect to provide 40 percent of customers with clean energy by the year 2030.
The sites of the Eckert and Erickson stations will be turned over to developers once they're decommissioned. Mayor Schor says the smokestacks at the Eckert plant will not be torn down.
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