Officials request study of state electric power supply

LANSING (AP) - Officials have asked the organization that coordinates electricity transmission for most of Michigan to study how plant closures might affect the state's power supply in coming years.

The Michigan Public Service Commission says it fears the Lower Peninsula's electric capacity might be less reliable by 2018 as utilities retire plants. The commission joined the Michigan Agency for Energy in requesting a study by Midcontinent Independent System Operator, a regional power transmission operator.

The study would consider the effects of the Palisades and Fermi 2 nuclear plants having outages at the same time, which happened during a hot-weather period in 2012.

Valerie Brader of the Agency for Energy says with fewer plants operating, it's important to know whether the lights could stay on if the same thing happened down the road.

Published: Mon, Aug 15, 2016