Covert Generating Station Joins Consumers Energy's Operational Fleet
The Michigan-based power company bolsters state's energy capacity with 1,200 MW natural gas facility.
Consumers Energy has initiated operations at the Covert Generating Station in Van Buren County, Southwest Michigan, marking a key milestone in its Clean Energy Plan. This initiative aims to satisfy the state's increasing energy demands in an environmentally responsible manner.
“The Covert Generating Station will be an integral part of our energy generation assets, providing a cost-effective and reliable electricity supply to our customers in Michigan," said Tim Sparks, Vice President of Electric Supply at Consumers Energy. "The plant's operations will complement our clean energy resources, including solar and wind power, which are earmarked for further expansion."
Acquired by Consumers Energy, the natural gas-fueled Covert Generating Station boasts a generation capacity of 1,200 MW, capable of serving over a million homes in Michigan. Operational since 2004, the plant's integration into Consumers Energy's portfolio allows for an increase in affordable and reliable power generation without additional greenhouse gas emissions.
The Covert plant's workforce, comprising 29 employees, is anticipated to join Consumers Energy in the course of the transition.
As part of its summer energy projection, Consumers Energy ensures that Michigan's nearly two million homes and businesses will have a sufficient energy supply. The Covert station will work in conjunction with two other natural gas plants in Zeeland and Jackson, alongside coal, hydroelectric, pumped storage, wind, and solar energy sources.
Consumers Energy is committed to a cleaner and more cost-effective energy mix. The company plans to retire its remaining coal-fueled power plants by mid-2025. Over the next two decades, the company estimates that more than 60 percent of the power provided to customers will be generated from renewable energy sources, potentially saving customers around $600 million.
"Our commitment to our customers is to ensure consistent power supply. The addition of the Covert plant allows us to augment our renewable energy resources while reliably addressing the day-to-day energy requirements of our community," Sparks added.
Consumers Energy, the main subsidiary of CMS Energy, delivers natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million out of Michigan's 10 million residents across all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.
