By Jan O’Connell, Senior Energy Organizer
A long-running campaign by Sierra Club and our allies to move Michigan’s largest electric utilities to clean, renewable energy is paying off with cleaner power generation and cost savings for many Michigan electric customers. Consumers Energy, the second-largest utility in Michigan, is on track to meet the state's new and more aggressive goals to speed up the transition to renewable energy. In doing this, the company estimates it will not need to charge their 1.8 million ratepayers in Michigan extra for this transition to clean energy. https://www.mlive.com/environment/2024/11/consumers-energy-says-big-renewable-energy-rollout-wont-require-new-bill-surcharge.html
In fact, by generating 50 % of their electric power from renewable sources, Consumers estimates it can achieve $304 million in savings for its electric customers by 2045. Moving to renewable energy in our state is also essential to fuel Michigan's economy and create opportunities for our workers. https://www.sierraclub.org/michigan/blog/2024/09/clean-energy-transforming-michigan-s-economy
In 2022, Consumers Energy made some sizable changes in its Integrated Resource Plan, responding to advocacy and expert input by Sierra Club and many other organizations. In this plan, Consumers Energy committed to adding 8,000 megawatts of solar power, many of which they are currently working to bring on line in 2025 and 2026.
Sierra Club has praised Consumers Energy for their plans to close their last coal plant by May 2025, the J.H. Campbell Plant that sits along the Lake Michigan shoreline between Holland and Grand Haven. https://www.mlive.com/environment/2024/09/consumers-energy-offers-look-inside-its-last-coal-fired-power-plant-before-shutdown.html
The transition requirement from coal as a power source for electricity to cleaner energy sources will considerably change our energy future, however plans by some utilities to replace coal with power plants burning fossil gas is slowing the transition. With Michigan’s shifting legislative landscape that is on track to bring tax breaks to data centers, we need Consumers Energy and all Michigan utilities to anticipate greater energy demands and to be ready to bring on renewables and battery storage at a faster pace. Over time, moving away from all fossil fuels and to renewables and energy storage will cost much less than fossil fuels to provide energy.