Campbell Plant Discussions
This past February, the Board of Commissioners passed a resolution urging the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) to reconsider the planned closure of the J.H. Campbell Plant by Consumers Energy, set for May 31, 2025. I voted against that resolution because I believe the decision to phase out the coal plant was properly vetted in Consumers’ 2022 integrated resource plan, which balances reliability with the state’s clean energy goals. Similiarly, the MPSC and Consumers addressed this during the approval for shutdown, and Consumers specifically met MISO’s rules when closure was approved.
This Thursday, we will once again be taking up discussion of the Campbell Plant. If the MPSC refuses to reconsider, as we recommended earlier, I believe that we’re really left with only two viable options: legal action against the MPSC or requesting federal intervention. I oppose both of these for the following reasons:
First, pursuing legal action against the MPSC would be a costly and likely unfruitful endeavor. The courts’ deference to regulatory agencies on technical matters like energy planning is widely established, and Consumers has already demonstrated a replacement capacity that meets legal standards. Dragging this into litigation risks wasting taxpayer money, while straining our relationship with state authorities we rely on for other issues.
Second, asking for federal intervention feels equally misguided. Even if the Administration feels inclined to act, it’s unclear whether it could override Michigan’s jurisdiction over its utilities. Relying on federal overreach sets a risky precedent, inviting outside meddling in local affairs when we might not like the outcome next time. Plus, tying the plant’s fate to speculative AI data center co-location plans, as some have suggested, is a gamble that ignores the economic and environmental realities driving the closure.
In my view, we should accept the closure and focus on what’s next—working with Consumers and Port Sheldon Township to ensure the site’s redevelopment delivers real benefits to our community over the near and long term.
