The “Save The Campbell” effort (see SaveTheCampbell.com) seeks to achieve the objectives of the National Energy Dominance Council and DOGE by preventing the 2025 closure of the J.H. Campbell Generating Plant that provides reliable electric for 1 million regional residents and save the US Federal Government billions of dollars in subsidies for solar, wind, and re-start of the Palisades nuclear reactor. Our plan offers more reliable electric, at a much reduced cost and with more environmental safety than the current plan that has been promoted by the Biden and Whitmer Administrations, as explained here . We have already made significant progress, as noted here. Now we seek to get the relevant parties on board with an Ottawa County Electric Cooperative and Campbell Purchase Group.
The Ottawa County Electric Cooperative would consist of those townships and cities in Ottawa County that currently lack municipalized electric, pass the “Save The Campbell” resolution, and want to purchase the Campbell plant and keep it operating, IF it can be purchased from Consumers Energy at the right price, as explained here. This is an important step in providing these municipalities with a credible competitive alternative to Consumers Energy, with its unreliable energy plan, high pricing (58% above what Zeeland with municipalized electric customers pay), inconvenient 2-tier pricing, and more negatives. One of the reasons why so much of Ottawa County has gotten a bad deal is because Consumers Energy has enjoyed monopoly status, cozily regulated by the Whitmer-appointed Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC). Each participating municipality will be allowed to have one representative on the Board of Organizers and Advisors for each 12,000(?) residents, each municipality having at least one representative on this Board. The Ottawa County Board will be also asked to provide one representative on this Board. Once organized, a Board of Directors would be directly elected by the voting citizens in the participating municipalities in Ottawa County. Representatives from cities with municipalized electric (Zeeland, Holland, and Grand Haven) would be welcome to attend as Board observers, for coordination purposes. Membership on the Board of Organizers and Advisors in no way obliges these municipalities to accept a purchase transaction of the Campbell or future electric municipal ownership and control, but simply gives them a place at the table as such direction is considered. Those municipalities joining early on will likely find there is a lower entry cost to participate and get to be part of the decision-making as it is happening.
The Campbell Purchase Group would consist of those parties considering the purchase of Consumers Energy’s interest in the Campbell. Possible members could include the following and more:
- The three municipally owned electric entities in Ottawa County (in Zeeland, Holland and Grand Haven)
- Ottawa County Electric Cooperative (described above)
- MPPA
- Wolverine Power Cooperative
- Hoosier Energy
It will seek to include a representative of the Ottawa County Board, with Ottawa County being the facilitating governmental entity for the purchase of Consumers Energy’s interest in the Campbell.
The Campbell Purchase Group would seek the assistance of the National Energy Dominance Council and DOGE to carry out their project, since this effort would be fully consistent with the objectives of each:
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/feb/14/trump-establishes-new-council-advance-u-energy-dom
“Save The Campbell” applauds how the Trump Administration is curtailing wasteful spending on misguided energy projects in Michigan: