Supporting Our Promise to Michigan
Thetford Township, Michigan Natural Gas Plant Project
Consumers Energy plans to build a new 700-megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant at an existing Company site in Thetford Township, Genesee County, Michigan -- equipped with the latest technology to control emissions -- and have it in operation in 2017.
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A Balanced Approach
Based on Consumers Energy’s Balanced Energy Initiative, a balanced, diverse portfolio of energy resources is needed to meet the future power demands of the company's 1.8 million electric customers. A new combined cycle flexible base load power plant at the Company's Thetford site in Genesee County is one piece of the solution, which also includes energy efficiency programs, demand management, and expanded renewable energy capacity.
Reliable Power
Our Balanced Energy Initiative is based on the link between a clean environment, sustainable energy policy and a solid economy. Those are all crucial priorities for Michigan and our 1.8 million electric customers. The Balanced Energy Initiative is designed to provide Consumers Energy customers with reliable and affordable electricity in an environmentally responsible manner for the next two decades.
Consumers Energy is optimistic about the potential of renewable energy sources, such as wind, as well as energy efficiency measures. But the wind doesn’t always blow when customers need electricity. And it’s still not clear how much energy efficiency can reduce peak loads on hot summer days. That's why Consumers Energy customers need the reliability of new flexible base load generation on its power system.
Jobs for Michigan
The new natural gas-fired plant that Consumers Energy plans to build will provide significant economic development benefits for Michigan and the Genesee County Region. The new plant represents an investment of more than $750 million in the state's energy infrastructure.
The new plant is expected to create more than 600 direct and about 1,900 indirect jobs during construction. It also will create about 30 permanent jobs when the plant is operational.