FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE: Aug. 21, 2019
Contact:
Ivan Moreno, Natural Resources Defense Council, imoreno@nrdc.org, 312-651-7932
Rachel Perkins, Byrum & Fisk Communications, rperkins@byrumfisk.com, 517-333-1606
Community and Environmental Organizations Push Michigan to Reject
DTE’s Long-Term Energy Plan
LANSING – Environmental and community organizations today are calling
for Michigan’s Public Service Commission to reject the proposed long-term
energy plan from DTE following testimony from experts revealing how DTE’s plan
will hold back a transition to cleaner, more affordable energy. Experts ranging
from energy economists, renewable experts, and health professionals submitted
testimony detailing significant flaws in DTE’s proposal.
Advocates argue that the plan would unnecessarily increase costs, rely
too heavily on fossil fuels that should be retired much earlier, increase
racial and economic inequity, and not invest enough in the clean energy
resources that customers are increasingly demanding. Environmental and
community organizations also call for a more transparent, fair, and inclusive
planning process that would hold the state’s utilities accountable to Michigan
customers.
The full case filing including testimony can be found here:
https://sforce.co/2KMZROU.
The following are
reactions from environmental, conservation and community organizations on DTE
Energy’s proposed Integrated Resource Plan:
“We need a plan that puts people first, with health, affordability and
community power at the forefront,” said Jackson
Koeppel, Executive Director of Soulardarity.
“DTE’s proposal is a transparent attempt to push the cost of their bad
investments and abysmally poor management onto the low-income communities and
communities of color they have been dumping pollution and rate hikes on for
their entire career. DTE is intentionally ignoring community solar and other
local solutions because they care more about how much money their investors
will make next quarter than the lives of the millions of people they claim to
serve.”
“DTE’s plan is supposed to be a vision for powering homes and
businesses across the state. Instead, it’s left Michigan’s environmental
justice communities feeling stripped of power,” said Michelle Martinez, statewide coordinator for the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition.
“If we want real climate justice, the process must change, must be inclusive,
and must hold DTE accountable.”
"DTE’s IRP treats both carbon emissions and cost impacts on
ratepayers as an afterthought, instead of a priority that needs to be
addressed," said Alexis Blizman,
Policy Director at the Ecology Center.
"DTE must expand energy efficiency, as well as include greater investments
in clean, renewable energy, like wind and solar, to protect ratepayers against
both the harmful impacts of continuing the use of fossil fuels, as well as the
price volatility of natural gas. The Commission should reject DTE's proposed
IRP and send them back to create a plan that protects both people and planet.”
“DTE has an opportunity to embrace a clean energy future for Michigan,
but by submitting a plan that fails to seriously look at solar and wind power,
battery storage, energy efficiency and demand response, it did not give itself
that chance,” said Margrethe Kearney,
a senior attorney with the Environmental
Law & Policy Center. “This plan holds onto the old way of doing
business, outdated strategies that don’t give DTE the flexibility to integrate
clean, cost-effective renewables that benefit both Michigan’s economy and the
environment.”
“DTE’s IRP is consistent with a century-old monopoly stuck in
traditional solutions,” said John
Richter, Policy Analyst at Great
Lakes Renewable Energy Association. “DTE has proposed utility-owned wind
parks in just enough quantity to meet their legal obligations and the demands
of their largest customers for green energy. While the GLREA welcomes the
proposed renewable energy facilities, the assumptions formed in the overall
plan are faulty and mired in the past. This plan needs substantial revision.”
“DTE’s current proposal to keep coal online for the next 20 years will
have vast and far-reaching implications on the health, safety, and well-being
of families across Michigan,” said Kindra
Weid, RN and Coalition Coordinator of MI
Air MI Health.
“Integrated resource plans are incredibly important for mapping out
our energy future. It's critical that the plans the MPSC ultimately approves
are based on sound analysis,” said Charlotte
Jameson, energy policy and legislative affairs director of Michigan Environmental Council. “DTE
submitted a plan riddled with flaws that bias the outcome away from clean,
renewable energy. These errors are clear to see, especially when you compare
their plan with the one Consumers Energy submitted. As intervenors charged with
protecting Michigan’s environment and residential ratepayers, we will continue
to weigh in on each step of this IRP process to make sure we get the best
outcome for Michigan’s residents.”
"DTE’s long-range plan fails to rein in exploding
electricity costs that are burdening families and businesses,” said Lisa Wozniak, executive director of the
Michigan League of Conservation Voters.
“Michiganders are seeing the negative effects of climate change every day --
from flooded basements and farm fields to spreading algae in the Great Lakes
and scorching droughts. It is time for DTE to move aggressively toward clean,
renewable energy instead of delaying investments in solar and wind power and
opening new, expensive gas plants."
“DTE’s plan yet again shortchanges their customers’ clean energy
future in favor of more expensive fossil fuels,” said Ariana Gonzalez, senior energy policy analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
“They clearly ignored the massive tide of criticism from their last proposal
that led to a billion-dollar gas plant. This is why we must set a precedent in
this case to ensure clean, safe and affordable energy for all.”
"Instead of protecting clean water, clean air, and our
communities, DTE chooses to invest in their pocketbooks by doubling down on
expensive, polluting fossil fuels," said Theresa Landrum, Detroit resident and activist with Sierra Club. “We call on the Michigan
Public Service Commission to reject DTE's polluting energy plan. Alternatively, we ask the MPSC to require
them to design a plan that protects Michiganders and those living in the most
heavily impacted communities by investing in cheaper and cleaner renewable
energy sources, efficiency programs, and storage technology.”
“DTE's plan to keep
relying on coal plants for the next two decades fails to account for the
health, climate, and financial impacts of burning coal,” said Shannon Fisk, Managing Attorney of Earthjustice’s Coal Program. “DTE
overestimated the costs of replacing coal plants with renewables, storage, and
efficiency because the company relied on flawed and outdated assumptions,
instead of actual market data. Michiganders would benefit most, in terms of
cost and health, from aggressive replacement of coal plants with cost-effective
and reliable clean energy.
“DTE’s plan favors its own
expensive power plants over a truly robust process to ensure cleaner and more
affordable energy for Michigan customers. I’ve seen utility commissions reject
resource plans for far less egregious missteps," said Joe Daniel, senior energy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists. “DTE overestimated the cost of
renewables, underestimated the benefits of efficiency, all the while ignoring
risks associated with the way it operates its existing fleet of coal-fired
power plants. The Michigan Public Service Commission should send this plan back
to the company and insist that DTE take seriously its obligation to fairly
evaluate all resource options, especially earlier investments in renewable energy
and energy efficiency."
"Solar and other clean energy options have quickly become some of
America's lowest cost resources, and every Michigander should be able to
benefit from these affordable, healthy, homegrown options. Instead, DTE is
trying to double down on polluting gas and get away with offering only a very
small utility-controlled green power program that will cost customers a premium
when it should be delivering savings," said Will Kenworthy, Midwest Regulatory Director with Vote Solar. "This expensive plan
will put solar out of reach for many low-income families, seniors on fixed
incomes, environmental justice communities and others who shouldn't be shut out
from the clean economy, which is why we're joining together with allies today
to urge a stronger, healthier and more resilient path forward for DTE."
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