VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. — Consumers Energy began operating a recently purchased natural gas power plant in Southwest Michigan on Thursday.
Covert Power Plant provides 1,200-megawatts of power for Michiganders through a natural gas-fired generators, according to Consumers Energy.
The energy company says that the plant can generate enough electricity to power over 1 million Michigan homes.
Consumers Energy was approved to purchased the power plant in 2021 and began to operate the facility on June 1.
The Covert Power Plant employs 29 workers in Covert Township.
“Consumers Energy is doing its part to ensure a cost-effective, reliable energy generation supply to our customers and all of Michigan by welcoming the latest power plant into our generation fleet,” said Tim Sparks, Consumers Energy's vice president of electric supply. “Covert will supply reliable electricity to meet Michigan’s needs 24/7 and support clean energy sources like wind and solar that we will continue to add.”
Consumers Energy's summer rates also begin today with increased pricing rates for "on-peak" hours of 2 p.m. until 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The increased rate is about 1.5 times higher than the "off-peak" rate that customers normally see outside of the summer months.
The summer rates run from June 1 to Sept. 30.
Consumers Energy is Michigan's largest energy provider, powering nearly 2 million Michigan homes.
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