(Photo: The Trenton Channel Power Plant is now set to be retired in 2022. Credit: DTE Energy)DTE Energy plans to retire two coal plants in Michigan in 2022, a year ahead of schedule. Besides steadily eliminating coal from its generation fleet, the Detroit-based energy company is investing $2 billion in renewables over the next five years.
The St. Clair Power Plant and the Trenton Channel Power Plant were initially supposed to be retired by 2023, but DTE moved up its carbon reduction commitment and accelerated the retirement plan. In addition, the River Rouge Power Plant will be retired in 2022. All three plants accounted for about a quarter of the electricity the utility produced in 2015.
The energy company, which has about 2.2 million customers in southeastern Michigan, wants to ditch coal-fired generation entirely by 2040.
“Our customers care about climate change and want to make sure we are doing everything we can to transition to cleaner energy,” said DTE Energy chairman and CEO Gerry Anderson. “All of our customers want us to ensure high reliability as we transition — and we know we need to keep energy affordable for Michigan's homes and businesses as we evolve as well.”
Beyond the coal plant retirements, DTE wants to more than double its renewable energy production by 2024. Recently Ford and General Motors collaborated with DTE to procure wind power through the energy company’s MIGreenPower program aimed at helping businesses reach their sustainability goals by sourcing from wind and solar projects in the state.
DTE announced increased investments in energy efficiency and hydro energy storage. Although the company’s previous commitment was to reduce energy usage by 1.5% each year within their service area, that has increased to 1.75% — more than the state requires. This should help customers save more energy and money, DTE says.
Consumers Energy and DTE co-own Michigan’s Ludington pumped storage facility. An $800 million upgrade to the facility means protecting reliability because it functions like an enormous battery when renewable energy output drops. DTE says that project is on track to be completed next year.
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