Beginning in 2026, DTE Energy plans to convert coal-fueled Monroe Power Plant and Belle River Power Plant to solar and wind turbine powered renewable energy production and generation. Photo courtesy of DTE Energy.
On Thursday, DTE Energy revealed its “CleanVision plan,” an integrated resource plan (IRP) built into a twenty-year timeline to decarbonize power generation for its 2.3 million customers in southeastern Michigan. The dramatic shift is geared toward the energy company’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions by steering away from coal-based power production and toward natural gas and renewable energy.
“Across the country and here in Michigan, the energy landscape is changing rapidly and fundamentally,” announced Jerry Norcia, CEO and Chairman of DTE Energy.
As coal gives way to natural gas and renewables to power what we call the new modern grid. These changes are leading to industries and companies, across the country, accelerating our net zero and environmental commitments.”
DTE’s plan calls for a $9 billion investment into Michigan’s energy industry to accelerate their 2017 net zero carbon emissions goals moved up from 2050 to 2042.
Over a five-year period, DTE officials said customers can expect a “net positive” rate difference of affordable service with the clean energy transition. Long-term, customers are projected to save $1.4 billion in cost reductions.
DTE’s Energy Plan Lays Out a Three-Part Proposal
- Renewable Energy and Battery Storage
In DTE’s executive summary, the 2022 IRP lays out “a comprehensive plan to meet the electricity needs of a power company’s customers 5, 10 and 15 years into the future. It details the planned resources that a power company will use to generate reliable, affordable electric supply to its customers.”
“We’re doubling down on our investment in Michigan by developing solar and wind energy right in our state, guided by our commitment of getting as clean as we can as fast as we can while providing reliable and affordable energy through a modern grid,” said Trevor Lauer, president and chief operating officer, DTE Electric.
The first proposal entails the development of 15,400 megawatts of new Michigan-made renewable energy, enough to power 4 million homes in the state between now and 2042. Additionally, 1,810 megawatts of battery storage on the power grid, which is more than double the current amount of storage.
Lauer said DTE Energy strongly believes the combination of renewables and storage will be a key piece for the resiliency in clean energy going forward on the emerging modern grid.
- Phasing Renewable Energy Transition at Monroe Power Plant and Belle River Power Plant
DTE plans to end its use of coal by 2035 with a “responsible, phased retirement schedule of the Belle River and Monroe coal power plants,” both of which account for approximately 40% of the company’s current energy production in southeastern Michigan.
Since opening its doors in 1971, the Monroe Power Plant is one of the largest coal plants in the country. The plant has 4 generating units, each with an output of 850 megawatts and cumulatively generating 3,300 megawatts total output. Beginning in 2026, the plant will begin phasing an attrition-minded strategy to retire two units and offering transfer opportunities to workers’ positions in other parts of the company.
The coal-fired Belle River Power Plant in St. Clair County, which shares a facility with the St. Clair Power Plant, will foresee an expediated closure of the coal-fueled energy production. In its stead, the plant’s existing infrastructure will be converted to produce 1,300 megawatts of natural gas.
“We also know natural gas plays an important role in a diverse energy mix, and that is why repurposing our Belle River power plant to run on natural gas instead of coal, alongside 24/7 carbon-free nuclear energy, will significantly reduce emissions while providing energy to meet periods of high customer demand. These 24×7 assets allow the Company to add thousands of megawatts of renewables onto the grid while also creating a bridge to new, emerging technologies that we expect in the years to come,” Lauer said in a statement.
The company’s strategy goals are ahead of the timelines in the MI Healthy Climate Pant (MHCP) and will help support Michigan’s economy-wide greenhouse has (GHG) emissions reductions interim timelines.
DTE’s new goals include:
- Achieving 32% CO2 emissions reductions in 2023 – two years ahead of the MHCP timeline of 28% by 2025
- Reducing CO2 emissions 65% in 2028 (previously 50%) which also surpasses the
- MHCP timeline of 52% by 2030
- Targeting 85% CO2 reduction in 2035
- Targeting 90% CO2 reduction (previously 80%) by 2040, and
- Meeting its ultimate net zero goal by 2050
When asked about the conversion strategy and if customers can expect any interruption of service, Lauer said residents should be assured the transition will be seamless.
“What we’ll actually do is a simple conversion,” said Lauer. “It’s happened at hundreds of plants around the country. It takes up to 90 days to complete a conversion on each unit. So, we’ll take what we call an outage and take the plant down for 90 days to convert what we call burners, so the natural gas, and we’ll convert one unit the following year in 2026 and we’ll convert the burners there. There’ll be no noticeable effect to our customers as we go through the conversion.”
To read more about DTE Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for renewable energy, check out dtecleanenergy.com
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