Consumers Energy is known for restoring power when the lights go out, but they're done something fun and unexpected to also benefit the community. Consumers Energy donated a locomotive to the friends of the Coopersville and Marne Railway.
The locomotive - a Center Cab 125 Ton Switcher - was originally manufactured in 1979 by General Electric. It weighs 250,000 pounds and could pull about 33 coal cars - roughly 8.7 million pounds of coal - to help the plant generate electricity for Consumers Energy customers.
The train previously supported Consumers Energy’s J.H. Campbell coal plant to the Friends of Coopersville and Marne Railway, a nonprofit that preserves and operates historic passenger and freight trains in west Michigan. The locomotive will now be used for freight and passenger trips.
The J.H. Campbell complex began operating in 1962. After its historic Clean Energy Plan was approved last summer, Consumers Energy plans to close all three generating units at the complex in 2025 in addition to two units at the D.E. Karn coal plant near Bay City this year.
Consumers Energy will be among the first energy providers in the U.S. to go coal-free, making the transition to clean, renewable sources by adding nearly 8,000 MW of solar power by 2040.
Learn more about what consumers energy is doing for the community by visiting ConsumersEnergy.com or calling 1-800-477-5050.
This Trusted Advisor segment is sponsored by Consumers Energy
