Consumers Energy said that it has provided state regulators additional time to approve the sale of its 13 hydroelectric dams.
In an update issued Tuesday, the company said that it is providing the Michigan Public Service Commission more time to approve the 13 hydroelectric dams to Confluence Hydro.
The deadline now moves from Nov. 9 to Dec. 17.
Last year, the company announced it was selling the dams after years of deliberating, including taking in comments from the public.
Currently Consumers Energy owns 13 hydroelectric dams across the state. Those dams are:
- The Calkins Bridge Dam on the Kalamazoo River
- The Webber Dam on the Grand River
- The Rogers, Hardy, and Croton dams on the Muskegon River
- The Hodenpyl and Tippy dams on the Manistee River
- The Mio, Alcona, Loud, Foote, Cooke, and Five Channels dams on the Au Sable River
Confluence Hydro, which is owned by Hull Street Energy, reached a deal to buy the dams from Consumers Energy and would start a 30-year agreement to supply power to the utility company. Each dam will cost just $1 to buy, totaling $13.
“We understand the desire for communities and our coworkers for an outcome in this case. We are providing for a little more time to reach a constructive agreement that will be a win for our customers, Michigan, and the communities we care about,” Chris Fultz, the senior vice president of electric supply at Consumers Energy, said.
Hull Street Energy, an investment firm focused on maintaining and updating hydroelectric facilities in the U.S., has operated 47 dams across North America in the past decade. The company formed Confluence Hydro to run the 13 dams in Michigan.
According to the company's website, Hull Street Energy has sold most of the dams it has operated in the last ten years. It currently operates several different kinds of power generation facilities, including natural gas and solar, along with other related industries.
“Safety has always been foundational to everything we do,” said Ed Quinn, chief executive officer of Confluence Hydro. “With decades of experience operating hydro facilities, we are committed to preserving and modernizing these important resources to maximize their contribution to the grid. We deeply admire and respect the Consumers Energy team and the culture of safety and operational excellence they have built. We see extraordinary opportunity to leverage our combined strengths to build a best-in-class hydro company – one that protects communities, supports employees, mitigates risk, and delivers reliable, clean energy for the future.”
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