If Consumers Energy feels that the township and county boards are all bark and no bite in our Campbell resolutions, then they are more likely not to accede to the requests. We need to bark, but if Consumers Energy fails to heed the sound, then we need to pursue the possibility of alternative action. Proposed Resolution #1 is the bark, and proposed Resolution #2 is the bite. Resolution #2 would not commit any township or Ottawa County to alternative action, but it hopefully would be a means to obtain the information necessary to determine whether alternative action would make economic sense. We should not pursue a course which does not make economic sense for us.
Resolution#1:
“WHEREAS, Consumers Energy has publicly stated it will seek cost recovery to keep the J.H. Campbell generating plant operationally available consistent with the Trump Administration executive order, which would result in customer price hikes on top of already high and escalating energy charges by Consumers Energy; and
WHEREAS, Consumers Energy is spending significant sums of money in achieving the “most aggressive clean energy plans in the nation” towards Net Zero goals, beyond what Michigan law requires; and
WHEREAS, there are significant warning signs of rapid implementation of Net Zero goals, such as manifested in recent nationwide power outages in Spain and Portugal, and excessively high electric rates and a tenuous grid in the United Kingdom; and
WHEREAS, Net Zero goals depend significantly on taxpayer subsidy, but much of that subsidy will likely be reduced or eliminated soon given the new Republican President and Congress; and
WHEREAS, regional grid operator MISO and grid expert NERC have recommended delays in planned fossil fuel plant closures in order to avoid undue risks to the regional electric grid, wherein electric supply cannot meet demand, as even recently occurred on our own regional grid in Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, there are justified concerns about converting our valuable Michigan farmlands and forests into solar panel fields, facilitated by the undermining of local zoning rights by the MPSC; and
WHEREAS, there is increasing demand for reliable electric by AI data centers, including location of an AI data center next to an electric generating facility; and
WHEREAS, Michigan law recognizes the important role of municipalities with respect to utility services;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the ______ Township Board hereby requests that Consumers Energy foregoes seeking cost recovery to keep the J.H. Campbell generating plant operationally available, but instead offsets those costs by reducing its Net Zero expenditures and delaying its Net Zero implementation, as well as seriously exploring providing an AI data center with some of the electric provided by the Campbell, in order that residential electric rates can be reduced.”
Resolution#2:
WHEREAS, a 2022 Zealand BPW study showed Consumers Energy residential rate electric pricing was already around 58% higher than Zealand BPW electric pricing.; and
WHEREAS, there have been a significant series of price hikes by Consumers Energy since the Zealand BPW study, and recently Consumers Energy proposed the largest price hike in decades; and
WHEREAS, Consumers Energy says it will seek cost recovery for its Campbell closure delay, which would further hike electric pricing, rather than offsetting this cost by scaling back its Net Zero implementation; and
WHEREAS, Consumers Energy is far in advance in its Net Zero spending and plan of what Michigan law requires, and has shown no signs of scaling back, despite many reasons to do so; and
WHEREAS, studies indicate Net Zero is more costly than traditional fossil fuel electric generation because the solar and wind that Net Zero generally relies on is variable, and so requires redundant fossil fuel back up, given the current state of battery technology; and
WHEREAS, Consumers Energy has thus far been determined to close the JH Campbell generating facility rather than using it in part to provide electric for an AI data center, for which reliable electric is currently in high demand; and
WHEREAS, regional grid operator MISO and grid expert NERC have recommended delays in the currently planned fossil fuel plant closures in order to avoid undue risks to the regional electric grid; and
WHEREAS, three cities in Ottawa County successfully exercise local control over electric rather than utilizing Consumers Energy as their public utility for electric; and
WHEREAS, Michigan law recognizes the important role of municipalities with respect to utility services;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the _____ Township Board hereby joins together with other township boards in Ottawa County in setting up an exploratory committee to investigate acquiring Consumers Energy’s interest in the JH Campbell generating plant, via local electric cooperative(s), financed with the assistance of a data center that would utilize some of the Campbell’s generated electricity and/or Federal Government assistance, and facilitated with the assistance of the Ottawa County Board. It would also investigate the possibility of attaining local control of electric for the parts of Ottawa County currently utilizing Consumers Energy as its electric public utility.
Note: The supporting evidence for these resolutions can be found at SaveTheCampbell.com.