JACKSON,
Mich., April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In ancient
times, some thought a dragon was swallowing the sun, or that it was
the end of the world. These days, it's an occasion for gawking, a
scramble for the right shades and social media posting.
But for Consumers Energy's solar power plants, next week's
much-ballyhooed eclipse is just another day at the office.
"A total solar eclipse is a big deal, but not for our solar
arrays. On April 8, they'll continue
to generate electricity throughout the day. And while solar power
is the centerpiece of our Clean Energy Plan, we also have other
energy sources that are serving Michigan," said Norm
Kapala, Consumers Energy's vice president of generation
operations.
"The good news is, sunshine or not, our customers will have the
power they need before, during and after next week's eclipse."
Consumers Energy owns and operates three solar power plants, in
Cadillac and at Grand Valley State and
Western Michigan universities. All
sit outside the "path of totality," which in Michigan includes only communities like
Luna Pier in the southeast part of
the state.
There's lots more sun on the horizon. Consumers Energy plans to
add 8,000 megawatts of solar energy by 2040. Those plans include
the just-announced Muskegon Solar Energy Center, which will start
operating in 2026.
Read more: No sun? No problem? Solar delivers in every
season
Consumers Energy is Michigan's
largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity
to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower
Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy's Clean Energy Plan calls for
eliminating coal as an energy source in 2025, achieving net-zero
carbon emissions and meeting 90 percent of customers' energy needs
through clean sources, including wind and solar.
For more information about Consumers Energy, go to
ConsumersEnergy.com.
Check out Consumers Energy on Social
Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/consumersenergymichigan
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LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/consumersenergy
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SOURCE Consumers Energy