Joseph Parnell McCarter, Georgetown Township, volunteer leader of SaveTheCampbell effort.
I thank this Board for passing the Campbell Resolution. Because you and other township boards did, it encouraged the Ottawa County Board to do the same last week. But just a few hours after the County passed its resolution, Consumers Energy VP Maddipati said that it will close the Campbell anyway this coming May, as did MPSC officials. Please allow me to remind you these several facts:
- Consumers Energy customers pay 58% more than Zeeland residents who have municipalized electric.
- Consumers is a monopoly and knows right now we have nowhere else to go.
- Consumers plans to demolish a cleaned-up coal plant in violation of the Trump Administration National Energy Emergency executive order.
- We are unlikely to have immediate power outages if they tear down the Campbell. Only a few coal plants are closing in 2025. But when many closures happen from 2026-2028, the risks increase per MISO and NERC.
Here are some action items we recommend:
1. Seek the assistance of the Trump Administration to intervene on behalf of the Campbell, consistent with Pres. Trump’s executive order. They can help with legal action to delay the closure.
2. Ask the County Board to pass a public safety ordinance prohibiting the closure of the Campbell in 2025. The Michigan constitution gives our county Commissioners power to protect residents from a public utility that plans a project that will hurt the long-term welfare of its customers who totally rely on it for a basic need like electricity.
3. Form an electric cooperative exploratory committee composed of County township board representatives to help save the Campbell as well as provide us with a sounder energy plan and good electric pricing. We need there to be a credible alternative to the MPSC-Consumers Energy monopoly.
4. Ask the County Board to allow county citizens to decide if we have a county charter allowing more local control of electric service.
MOST OF ALL we need to humbly pray that the Lord will be merciful to us and help us in our efforts.
Given time constraints, I would ask you to let us know which if any of the suggested action items you support. You could let me know tonight after the meeting, or online at https://savethecampbell.com/add-my-name-to-petitions/ .
Thanks for considering these requests to save the Campbell!