Community Looks to the Future as Consumers Energy Moves Away from Coal, Toward Clean Energy

It has defined the Saginaw Bay shoreline, and skyline, for generations.

While the Dan E. Karn Generating Plant has been helping keep the lights on for millions of Michiganders during its more than six decades of service, it will soon close out a last chapter in its storied history.

Its two coal-fired units will soon be retired in the transition to clean, sustainable energy.

It’s a significant change for the Bay County community, and leaders are hopeful the future will continue to be bright as we shift to reliable, renewable resources.

“We’re looking forward to what the future is going to look like,” said Trevor Keyes, president and CEO of Bay Future, Inc., an economic development organization in Bay County. “We know Consumers Energy is blazing a path to a brighter energy future.”

The Road to Renewable Resources

Our journey to a coal-free future started with the development of our landmark Clean Energy Plan. It acts as a roadmap in our shift away from finite resources like fossil fuels, while still providing safe, reliable energy to our neighbors across Michigan.

While Karn’s two coal-fired units will shut down this year, its two other units powered by natural gas and oil will continue to operate through 2031.

Since 2016, seven coal-fired units across the state have been retired including those at the Weadock Plant adjacent to Karn, the Cobb Plant in Muskegon and the Whiting Plant in Luna Pier. Three coal-fired units at the Campbell generating complex near Holland will be the next to retire with plans to power down in 2025.

Our focus on providing reliable and affordable energy from sustainable sources includes a goal to have 90% of the power we provide coming from renewable sources by 2040. That includes adding 8,000 Megawatts of solar power, which will make up more than half our electric capacity. As we work to reach this goal, we will help meet Michigan’s energy needs by generating power from natural gas-fired plants.

Each step in this clean-energy journey will have a positive impact on our communities and the beautiful natural resources of the state we call home, reducing carbon emissions by 63 million tons between 2023 and 2040.

A Connection to the Community

Many in Bay County have a personal connection to Karn.

For Keyes, those ties to Karn have helped provide opportunities for education and mobility.

His father and other family members had careers with Consumers Energy that started at the plant and offered important generational prosperity that provided opportunities for higher education. Their colleagues often felt like family, too.

“Karn-Weadock has been like that dining room table for us to come together,” Keyes said of its place in the community, and in his own family. “If it wasn’t for the foundation that my parents were able to provide my sister and I by having great jobs and employers that cared, I wouldn’t be in this position.”

Like others who have an opportunity to see the plant firsthand, Keyes considered its size and scale impressive.

“It was almost like a little city being run within the 2,400-acre footprint of the complex,” he said. “It was just as grand going back as an adult as it was when I was visiting as a kid. The scale of everything is so much larger than what you can see from the outside.”

Terri Close, supervisor of Hampton Township, which includes the Karn site, said visiting the plant helps show how much effort goes into producing power for our communities.

“It was amazing to see all that’s involved in generating electricity,” Close said. “It’s impressive and overwhelming at the same time. It’s not as simple as you flip a switch, and the lights go on.”

We’ve been more than an energy provider in the community. We’ve also been a community partner, said Magen Samyn, president and CEO of the Bay City Area Chamber of Commerce.

“We really see it as a partnership and it’s been a two-way street the entire time,” Samyn said.

She said she and other community leaders appreciated being included in the transition process as the coal-fired units were retired.

“Consumers Energy brought stakeholders to the table, allowed public input and invited others into the discussion on land use going forward,” Samyn said. “We know there is going to be an economic impact, but information has been provided so far in advance to allow stakeholders and the community to be able to support the transition.”

Keyes said he was also grateful for the transition team’s hard work to keep area residents and community leaders informed as we work to safely and successfully power down the plant’s coal-fired units.

“It’s been helpful in the transition not only for the plant, but also for the community on what’s going to be next in the new life for the site,” Keyes said.

He said inviting the public in to see the plant and ask questions has also been impactful.

Public tours of Karn were held in September to give area residents and interested attendees a final, up-close look at the plant and its operations.

“When we found out the units would be decommissioned, people became afraid or angry or inquisitive, but the full transparency has helped alleviate those feelings and has been very beneficial,” he said.

Close acknowledged the transition has been difficult for the community, which has relied on the plant’s support and jobs for generations.

Still, she said she has appreciated the team’s willingness to answer questions and meet with residents.

“It’s hard for the public to grasp hold of what this means,” she said. “They’ve been wonderful about sharing information and keeping the community aware of what’s going on.”

A New Chapter for the Karn Site

Keyes said there are many possible opportunities for the site, and much still needs to happen to determine its future direction.

He said he and other stakeholders appreciate having a seat at the table as partners in the effort.

“We know Consumers Energy will help ensure we have reliable power and that it’s done to prosper our community and our planet,” Keyes said.

Future use of the site on Lake Huron’s shore continues to be studied and area leaders and residents have played a key role in conversations around next steps, which could include potential green space, solar, agriculture or commercial use. The plant property is already home to a diverse array of wildlife, including eagles, deer and fish, and once the units close, we will be committed to leaving the site better than we found it.

Close said she hopes for new life at the site.

“It’s been an important part of the community,” Close said. “It has not only helped provide reliable power, but also good-paying jobs to many."

“Time will tell what the future holds.”