PORT SHELDON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is pushing back against a second federal order that requires Consumers Energy to continue operating its J.H. Campbell power plant, calling the move “unlawful” and costly for ratepayers.
In a statement Thursday, Nessel said the order from the U.S. Department of Energy was issued “under the guise of a manufactured, imaginary energy emergency” and would force Michigan residents to bear “huge, unnecessary costs.”
“Consumers Energy has already reported spending $29 million in just the first 38 days of running the J.H. Campbell plant, and those completely unnecessary costs will ultimately be passed on to families,” Nessel said. “There is no energy emergency justifying these orders and the President and his administration have no right to insist it remain operational against the will of the people of this state, or Consumers Energy. My office has taken multiple legal and administrative steps to challenge the Department of Energy's first order and will continue to fight this latest one to protect ratepayers from footing the bill for a fake emergency.”
Consumers Energy confirmed the $29 million figure. Responding to a question from Fox 17 about rate adjustments for customers, a spokesperson said, "We are also pleased that the [Federal Energy Regulatory Commission] approved our request to recover costs associated with plant operations and allocate those costs across [Midcontinent Independent System Operator] North and Central regions consistent with the DOE order." Specific details on rate adjustments or the impact on customers were not provided.
When asked whether closing the plant could cause power shortages, as suggested by the DOE, a Consumers spokesperson said the company will continue operating the plant as required by the DOE. The spokesperson also said the emergency order delays, but does not alter, the company’s settlement agreement to eventually retire the J.H. Campbell plant.
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