Consumers Energy receives approval to delay retiring coal fired units

Consumers Energy delay retiring coal-fired power units Michigan Cobb J.R. Whiting Karn-Weadock

Consumers Energy (NYSE: CMS) has received approval to delay the retirement of 950 MW of coal-fired generating capacity in Michigan because of increased power demand in the state, according to a report from Platts.

Consumers received approval from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to delay the retirement of seven older coal-fired units, according to the report. The company had planned to suspend operations at three units of the J.R. Whiting plant in Erie and two units each at its Karn-Weadock plant in Bay City and Cobb plant in Muskegon.

The plants had been scheduled to close in 2015, but MISO had expressed concerns about reliability, according to the report. Delaying the retirements will help ease those concerns as well as delay the need for Consumers to purchase wholesale power.

The approval gives Consumers the option of continuing operation at the seven units until April 2016.