The Crescent wind farm is expected to become operational on or before 31 December 2020
Image: Consumers Energy has received approval to acquire 166MW Crescent Wind project in Hillsdale County. Photo: courtesy of Pexels/Pixabay.
Jackson-based public utility company Consumers Energy has received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission for the acquisition of a 166MW wind farm in Hillsdale County.
Under the terms of the agreement, the wind project would be designed, engineered, built and tested by Crescent Wind before being handing it over to Consumers Energy after completion
To be located in Adams, Moscow and Wheatland townships, the Crescent wind farm is expected to become operational on or before 31 December 2020.
According to Consumers Energy, the wind park’s output will have a 31-year levelised cost of energy of nearly $48 per MWh, given that the utility qualifies for the full value of the federal production tax credit.
The estimated cost is lower than the levelised cost of energy of $57.75 per MWh projected in Consumers’ Renewable Energy Plan approved by the Commission in February.
The company said that the installed cost for the wind project is estimated at $1,506 per kilowatt, which is lower than the assumed cost of $1,560 per kilowatt.
The purchase agreement was approved after MPSC staff concluded Consumers’ requests for proposals complied with earlier commission orders. The commission assured that the full cost of the Crescent Wind Project will be recoverable under Consumers’ power supply cost recovery process.
Consumers Energy had received approval for Clean Energy Plan in June
In June, Consumers Energy had received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission for its new Clean Energy Plan, ushering in a new era of renewable energy in the state.
Under the new plan, Consumers Energy targets to eliminate coal, reduce carbon emissions by more than 90% and meet customer’s future electricity demand with 90% clean energy resources by 2040.
The public utility company also aims to reduce carbon emissions from power plants to more than 90% by 2040.