It is hoped that at its February 25, 2025 Board meeting that the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners will pass a “Save The Campbell” resolution requesting a delay in the closure of the Campbell to the MPSC and Consumers Energy. Time is critical, given the planned closure in May/June 2025. So it is important that MPSC/Consumers Energy respond positively within several weeks after a County Board Resolution to delay closure of the Campbell, or else it should be assumed by the County Board that they will not in time to prevent its scheduled closure. Decisions for continued operation should be made by early April 2025, and even that is challenging.
If the MPSC and Consumers Energy do not positively respond to the County resolution, as well as the various Township resolutions, which I am sad to say they probably will not, then I recommend as one response that the County Board pass an ordinance forbidding its closure in 2025. Michigan law vests the County Board of Commissioners with significant powers over electric utilities within their county, including this one:
“Article VII,§ 15 County intervention in public utility service and rate proceedings. Sec. 15. Any county, when authorized by its board of supervisors shall have the authority to enter or to intervene in any action or certificate proceeding involving the services, charges or rates of any privately owned public utility furnishing services or commodities to rate payers within the county.” (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(mjvru145ok0j2t45djc2hyer))/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-Constitution-VII.pdf)
Given the well-substantiated warnings and their recommendations to delay closure of grid operator MISO, as well as NERC, along with many other factors, precipitous closure of the Campbell plant poses a significant public safety risk to the county and beyond. Almost all of our societal systems (water, heat, transportation, industry, etc.) depend upon a well-functioning electric grid. County government needs to avail of its legal authority to stop the closure under current conditions. An ordinance forbidding closure in 2025 should be passed by the County Board, supported by all municipalities within the County, and enforced by the Ottawa County Sheriff.
Such an ordinance would require all Consumers Energy personnel working on the Campbell plant to take actions necessary to keep the Campbell plant operating in 2025.
At its March 11, 2025 Planning & Policy Committee Meeting there should be on the agenda consideration of the MPSC/Consumers Energy response to a resolution for delay, with the possibility of putting consideration of Board responses on the March 25 Board meeting. It is unfortunate that County Board response has to happen on such a compressed schedule, but the MPSC and Consumers Energy never should have let things get this far given MISO and NERC warnings and recommendations.
“Save The Campbell” is not and should not merely be an act of political symbolism, but an act of legal force to protect the public safety.