Construction begins on Muskegon Solar Energy Center

MOORLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Consumers Energy is constructing the company’s first large-scale solar project. Thursday, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held in Muskegon County as work gets underway.

Shovels of dirt have been turned, which marks the start of construction of the Muskegon Solar Energy Center in Moorland Township.

“Really excited about the fact that this has all come to fruition now and it’s come to fruition with a state-of-the-art project,” said David Hicks, VP of clean energy development for Consumers Energy.

The solar energy farm is being built on 1,900 acres of land at the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center.

When completed, the 250-megawatt facility will generate enough electricity to power nearly 40,000 homes across the state.

“30 to 35 years, we’ll have this facility. In fact, after 25 years it will still produce 80% of the power it produces on day one,” Hicks said.

A few years back, Consumers Energy committed to a clean energy future; this is the first utility-scale project from that process.

“Your mix of resources for the electricity you use in your homes and businesses, that mix will change over time to become much greater amounts of solar, wind, and other non-carbon resources,” Hicks said.

He said lower and more stable energy prices will come from the solar facility.

“When you’re burning coal or you’re burning natural gas to produce electricity, you’ve got to pay for that fuel and that price is volatile,” Hicks said. “We know what the cost of this fuel for the solar project is going to be for the next 30-35 years, it’s going to be zero.”

Muskegon County leaders are also looking forward to the project in their community.

“We used to have the Cobb Plant and the Cobb Plant got shut down, well this is an awesome replacement because now we’re getting that energy source back,” said Charles Nash, chairman of Muskegon County Board of Commissioners.

Nash also said the county is leasing the property, usually used for crops, to Consumers. Payments from the utility company, as well as property taxes, are expected to bring in money.

“What we make in crops, we’re getting more than enough from them to take care of that expense so we’re not losing anything and we’re gaining a little bit of revenue on top of that,” Nash said.

With a goal to bring 8,000 megawatts of solar online by 2040, Consumers Energy said the project is the first of many.

“We’re going to have to have 31 more Muskegons in the state in order to meet our clean energy transition goals,” Hicks said.

The solar energy center is expected to be operational in 2026.

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