Consumers Energy plan adds wind, solar, battery storage, plus 2 gas plants in mid-Michigan

Consumers Energy has released a new plan that calls for adding more wind, solar and battery storage to serve Michigan, along with building two new natural gas plants in mid-Michigan.

The two natural gas plants would be located in Bay County and Genesee County and are planned to be in service in 2031.

“This is our blueprint, not for how we get energy to your house or your business, but really where it comes from in the first place,” said Consumers Energy spokesperson Brian Wheeler.

Wheeler said one plant would be built in Bay County near the Karn site. The other would be built in Thetford Township in Genesee County.

“With these two power plants, we’re looking really at very much industrial sites. One will be next to our existing Karn Plant, which has been in service for decades. This plant in Thetford Township is an area that’s not developed for residential. It’s an industrial area,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler said Consumers Energy has not built a plant of this scale in decades. He said the plants are not expected to run around the clock once operational, but instead would be able to start quickly to meet demand.

“It’s also important that they don’t run necessarily around the clock; once they’re operational, these power plants are going to be really kind of a fast-starting, immediate need on our system on days like today, where it’s been so hot and everyone’s turning on their air conditioning. These plants can turn on very quickly and be there to serve not just these communities, but the entire state of Michigan,” Wheeler said.

The goal, Wheeler said, is to forecast what Michigan will need in the future for energy.

“We think we’ve got a good plan. It’s going to involve these natural gas plants in the Bay region, plus others, solar and wind and clean energy development across the state. We have a lot of different approaches that we think all fit together to serve the same end,” Wheeler said.

State regulators would still need to approve the plan. Consumers Energy is hoping for approval in the next 12 months.