Joseph Parnell McCarter, Georgetown Township, speaking on behalf of the exploratory committee for a locally controlled electric cooperative.
As Dennis has described, the Exploratory is investigating a locally controlled electric cooperative to attain control of our electric grid where currently the Consumers Energy monopoly operates. The current Net Zero energy policy combined with rapid data center growth is simply unrealistic. It is driving up electric costs for consumers, while replacing reliable fossil fuel plants with unreliable solar. Already in Ottawa County there is battle over industrial solar and lithium ion battery plants wasting our valuable farmlands and hurting communities. We are working towards a locally controlled electric cooperative acquiring and retooling the Campbell generating plant for long-term electric generation, together with data center co-location charged premium prices so that local residential rates can be reduced. We are already in communication with the Department of Energy, to get their assistance. The cities of Grand Haven, Zeeland, and Holland have shown how successful locally controlled electric can be compared with Consumers Energy.
The current Net Zero path is unrealistic, as evidenced by continued warnings from NERC, the preeminent expert on grid condition. Grand Haven Board of Light and Power general manager correctly said: “We think it would be best to keep this plant online to keep the reliability of the grid what we’ve come to expect.” Even Consumers Energy and DTE now admit we need more fossil fuel plants to address rising electric demand, but they want those built on the east side of the state, while demolishing ours over here and placing solar on our farmlands. It is a terrible deal for Ottawa County.
We have already made great strides in pollution control with the Campbell. Our plan calls for converting the oldest Campbell unit to gas, while retaining the youngest which has $1 billion of anti-polluting equipment invested in it and is one of the cleanest coal units in the nation.
It should be emphasized that this exploratory committee is for information gathering purposes only, and can do nothing legally binding on parties represented or participating individual members.
Committee meetings are via Zoom, for the convenience of participants.
Ottawa County should not allow ourselves to be held hostage by voters on the east side of the state, but should pursue more local control of our electric grid with the help of the Trump Administration, so as to ensure decisions are made primarily in our local interest.
Thank you for consideration of this request.