Consumers’ Energy Plans Fall Short on Clean Energy Commitments in Michigan

Utility’s Reliance on Fossil Fuels Overlooks Renewable Energy, Lower Costs

Consumers Energy missed an opportunity to demonstrate real and meaningful commitment to clean energy and lower costs for ratepayers in its long-term energy plans filed with state regulators today. In its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) filed with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), Consumers outlined significant new electricity demand, including 1.5 GW of contracted new large load growth and approximately 135 megawatts of additional manufacturing and industrial load contracted this year. To meet these growing demands, the utility plans to build well in excess of 1 GW of new peaker gas plants and has a signed agreement with a third gas plant.

While Consumers’ plan includes significant new renewables and storage, Environmental groups including Vote Solar, ELPC, UCS, and the Ecology Center criticized the utility’s decision to incorporate polluting fossil fuels rather than prioritize reliable and cost-efficient clean energy resources, potentially locking communities into higher energy costs. 

Vote Solar, ELPC, and UCS Issued the Following Statements:

Vote Solar’s Midwest Senior Regulatory Manager, Boratha Tan: 

“Michigan cannot afford to go backwards on clean energy. Instead of investing in more fossil fuel infrastructure that will lock Michigan customers into decades of pollution, Consumers Energy should be meeting rising energy demand with clean, reliable, community-powered resources like residential solar and batteries.”

ELPC Staff Attorney, Katie Duckworth:

“Michiganders deserve to be protected from higher costs and unnecessary pollution, and doing so requires Consumers Energy to prioritize reliable, cost-effective clean energy resources over expensive and polluting gas plants. We will be scrutinizing Consumers Energy’s proposal to build new gas plants and how much data centers are driving this build out and associated costs.”

Union of Concerned Scientists Senior Energy Analyst, Lee Shaver:

“Load growth from data centers has presented new challenges to the grid, but clean energy, battery storage, and virtual power plants have presented new opportunities. Consumers Energy should not include dirty, expensive, outdated fossil fuels in its plan when clean, affordable solutions are readily available to create a healthier, more equitable future for Michigan.”