Consumers Energy's retired Karn coal plant on the Saginaw Bay shoreline could become a model for transforming closed coal facilities across the Midwest, according to the Environmental Law and Policy Center.
The utility shut down the two coal-burning units at the Karn site last year.
ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner said it became clear to his organization more than ten years ago that coal was being replaced by cleaner forms of energy.
"We thought there was an opportunity that when the coal plants shut down, to re-envision the sites — not as retired coal plant sites — but to recapture the waterfront and lakefront for outdoor recreation, and reuse the hardwired transmission for renewable energy," he said. "These sites are already hard wired onto the electricity grid."
Consumers Energy said it will install a 85 MW solar energy facility (about 250,000 solar panels) at the site, which will create enough electricity to power about 20,000 homes.
Learner said there about 60 coal burning power plants in the Midwest that have either shut down or will be shut down in the years ahead. He said because the facilities need access to lots of water, they were all built on the shore of rivers and lakes, making them prime sites for redevelopment for public use.
The Karn project will include new trails, new waterfront access points, as well as restoration of hundreds of acres of wildlife habitat.
"Bay City deserves better access to Saginaw Bay and Lake Huron," said Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy Executive Director Zachary Branigan in a press release. The ELPC issued the redevelopment plan in coordination with the Conservancy. “Providing public land here creates a long, contiguous stretch of undisturbed trail connecting the site to the rest of the region," said Branigan, "and ensures equal access to the most precious natural resources in the area."
Consumers Energy is among Michigan Public's corporate sponsors.
