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The Future of Hydroelectric in Michigan

Map of the 13 hydroelectric dams owned by Consumers Energy

A Responsible Path for the Future

In Michigan, we love the water. We know how important our river hydro plants, and the reservoirs they create, are to the people living near them. People enjoy living, working and playing on the water and in the communities that have grown up near our 13 dams. But in the next 10 years, some of our hydro operating licenses issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), will expire. As we plan for a future of reliable, affordable clean energy we will take part in a multi-year review of all our hydroelectric plants.


A Review of Current Hydro Operations


  • A detailed review of our 13 river hydro plants will help us choose the best path forward.

    For each plant there are several potential results. It could lead to a renewal of our operating license for 30 more years. It could also lead to replacing or removal of the plant. Transferring ownership is another possibility. During each review we will be looking at the following:


  • Safety

    We will inspect the safety of each plant. We will also review the condition of the plant. On top of that we will review what could happen to people living downstream if a dam fails.


  • Complying with Regulations

    We will evaluate the cost and feasibility of operating each plant safely, while meeting state and federal regulations.


  • Community

    We will explore how each hydro plant and reservoir has affected the surrounding community. We will also explore how potential changes to the hydro plant could affect the community.


  • Cost of Operation

    We will explore expected future spending for operating each plant. We will also add up the electricity we expect each plant to generate.


  • Environment

    We will explore the impact of each plant on the environment. We will look at sediments, fish and other animals, invasive species, and other ways the plant affects the environment.


  • Recreation

    We will review the impact of each hydro plant on local recreation.


Community Meetings


We are very aware that decisions we make about our hydro operations could have an impact on local communities and recreation. That’s why we held public meetings about each facility, run by a neutral third party.

At each meeting the public gave us their feedback, and learned about:

  • FERC licensing
  • How we are evaluating hydro facilities
  • Details about river hydro operations
  • Early information about dam conditions, safety and operating costs
  • How to stay engaged in the review process

We will use what we heard as we plan the future of our hydro plants.

For questions, please contact hydro@cmsenergy.com


Meeting Dates and Locations


All meetings begin with an open house at 5:30 PM, with the public meeting starting at 6:00 PM unless otherwise noted.

Hardy Dam
Wednesday, August 24
Newaygo High School Cafeteria
360 S. Mill Street, Newaygo, MI
Hardy Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Hardy Dam Map

Calkins Bridge Dam
Wednesday, August 31
Allegan High School
1560 M-40, Allegan, MI 49010
Calkins Bridge Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Calkins Bridge Dam Map

Croton Dam
Thursday, September 8
Newaygo High School
Cafeteria
360 S. Mill Street, Newaygo, MI
Croton Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Croton Dam Map

Webber Dam
Thursday, September 15
Lyons Township Hall
505 Bridge Street, Lyons, MI 48851
Webber Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Webber Dam Map

Rogers Dam
Tuesday, September 20
Mecosta Township Hall
19729 11 Mile Road, Big Rapids, MI 49307
Rogers Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Rogers Dam Map

Mio Dam
Monday, September 26
Mio/AuSable High School Auditorium
1110 W. 8th Street, Mio, MI 48647
Mio Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Mio Dam Map

Foote Dam
Tuesday, September 27
Oscoda High School Auditorium
3550 E. River Road, Oscoda, MI 48750
Foote Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Foote Dam Map

Cooke Dam
Wednesday, September 28
Oscoda School Gymnasium
3550 E. River Road, Oscoda, MI 48750
Cooke Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Cooke Dam Map

Tippy Dam
Tuesday, October 4
Kaleva Norman Dickson School System
4400 N. High Bridge Rd, Brethren, MI 49619
Tippy Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Tippy Dam Map

Hodenpyl Dam
Wednesday, October 5
Springville Township Community Center
105 E. Mesick Ave, Mesick, MI 49668
Hodenpyl Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Hodenpyl Dam Map

Alcona Dam
Monday, October 10
Eagle Ridge Golf Course
3501 State Rd, Glennie, MI 48737
Alcona Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Alcona Dam Map

Loud Dam
Tuesday, October 11
Eagle Pointe Plaza
415 E. Main Street, Hale, MI 48739
Loud Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Loud Dam Map

Five Channels Dam
Wednesday, October 12
Eagle Pointe Plaza
415 E. Main Street, Hale, MI 48739
Five Channels Dam Pre-Meeting Slides
Materials Presented at the Meeting
Five Channels Dam Map


Questions About Hydro Planning