Michigan Utility Converting Old Coal Plant to Solar

[Amjad Kazmi]

October 6, 2023 at 11:47 am

An 85 MW solar array is being built at the former Karn coal facility in Essexville, Bay, Michigan, which closed earlier this year, according to investor-owned utility Consumers Energy.

According to future use studies and feedback from regional stakeholders, solar energy “emerged as the best option to ensure we continue to be good stewards of the land and to provide valuable tax dollars for the community while still pushing us further toward our sustainability goals,” says David Hicks, vice president of clean energy development at Consumers Energy.

The project is in its early phases, and Consumers Energy is collaborating with locals to build a responsible project that blends in with the neighborhood and advances the transition to renewable energy. The project will pay municipal, county, and school district taxes totaling millions of dollars over its 30-plus-year lifespan and potentially provide enough electricity for over 20,000 houses.

Karn 1 and 2’s closure in June signaled more advancement toward Consumers Energy’s objective of shutting down all coal facilities by 2025, which is 15 years earlier than the original projection.