Consumers Energy clean energy plan readies it for Michigan’s summer energy demands

Consumers Energy announced this week that its ongoing clean energy transition leaves it in a strong position to meet this summer’s energy needs in Michigan.

First proposed in 2021, the company’s Clean Energy Plan calls for closing all its coal-burning power plants by 2025 – a full 15 years sooner than the national timeline. To shore things up in response to this, the company is actively adding cleaner energy sources, with the hopes of providing 60 percent of its power from renewable energy by 2040. So far, this push and prior operations have led to three solar power plants, four wind parks, 13 hydroelectric dams and one of the world’s largest electric storage batteries – 1,872-MW – for Consumers’ portfolio.

“We’re seeing a once-in-a-generation transformation in the way we provide electricity, but our friends and neighbors should know Consumers Energy has planned ahead and is able to serve even on Michigan’s hottest days,” Tim Sparks, Consumers Energy’s vice president of electric supply, said. “With power sources across the state, from the shores of Lake Michigan to our hometown of Jackson, we want our customers to know Consumers Energy is ready.”

On top of power supply owned outright by the company, it also buys electricity from 10 third party owned wind parks and 34 third party owned solar power plants. Sparks called the sum total a balanced approach. Further, for this summer, the company deployed a summer rate focused on shifting customers off of peak usage times – specifically, between 2 and 7 p.m. during the week, June through September.