MARQUETTE, Mich – WE Energies and Wolverine Power Cooperative announced a partnership today to pursue joint ownership and invest between $130 million to $140 million to install emission controls at the Presque Isle coal-fired power plant.
In response to today’s news, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign Representative Tiffany Hartung issued the following statement:“Burning coal at the Presque Isle power plant has affected families in Marquette for almost 50 years. Installing emission controls to protect clean air is an important step for protecting public health in Michigan. However, WE Energies and Wolverine Power Cooperative’s decision to spend millions of dollars on continued dependence on coal is shortsighted. Using that money to instead make investments in clean, renewable energy like wind and solar could provide clean air and a sustainable clean energy economy in the Upper Peninsula.
With the cost of coal on the rise and Michigan families shouldering the burden in rates and health costs, we will continue to pressure WE Energies and Wolverine Power Cooperative to make the right decision to invest in clean energy and drop plans to build an unnecessary, expensive and polluting coal plant in Rogers City.”