The Michigan Public Service Commission wants answers from Consumers Energy about its plan to end its agreement with Entergy Nuclear Palisades, LLC to buy electricity from the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant.
The plan would end the power purchase agreement about four years early and result in the permanent closure of the nuclear plant in October, 2018.
The Commission is initiating a proceeding to make sure customers' energy needs will still be reliably met.
"What happens if that plant closes?" said Judy Palnau, spokesperson for the Commission. "What has the utility done to meet demand? How are they going to replace that power?"
The Commission also wants to know the basis of the utility's claim that its plan won't raise costs for customers.
"The company has said it will benefit rate payers," Palnau said. "The Commission would like very detailed information on that."
Last week, the House adopted HR 410 urging the Commission to "reject the premature termination of the power purchase agreement between Entergy and Consumers Energy" for the Palisades plant.
