Step 1: Ottawa County township boards and county board pass a resolution to delay the closure of the Campbell, and submit such request to MPSC and CE. (Hopefully MPSC and Consumers Energy will agree to delay closure in response to such resolution alone, but in all likelihood they will not.) – This was done!
Step 2: Seek the assistance of the Trump Administration (especially new Secretaries Doug Burgum and Chris Wright, who lead the new National Energy Dominance Council), along with our local representatives in Washington like Rep. Bill Huizenga, to intervene on behalf of the Campbell plant consistent with the National Energy Emergency executive order. The National Energy Dominance Council leaders appear to be fully on board with the “Save The Campbell” objectives. We need their assistance to stop the current MPSC/Consumers Energy violation of the executive order given their continued plan to close the Campbell in May/June 2025. – This was done, and the Trump Administration enacted the executive order!
Step 3: Form an electric cooperative exploratory committee of Ottawa County townships currently without municipalized electric (or at least those which are without it currently but would like to move towards having it) and begin discussing with relevant parties (the Ottawa County Board, municipalized electric entities in the County, Wolverine Power, Hoosier Energy, the MMEA, etc.), along with the Trump Administration, the possibility of purchasing Consumers Energy’s interest in the Campbell and having a service contract with Consumers Energy for a certain term to run the Campbell. Such a purchase could pursue the objective of Trump’s National Energy Council not only to secure a reliable grid, but also to generate surplus electric to empower regional AI data centers, and to make sure to do so in an environmentally responsible manner.
Step 4: Encourage state legislators to amend Michigan law not to discriminate against environmentally responsible use of coal for electric generation so as to place it on a firmer legal basis long term.