Escanaba Power Plant closing

Shutting down the Escanaba power plant that the city owns was the discussion tonight for city officials.

Beginning in July, the agency that operates the Midwest’s regional power grid will no longer reimburse the city for the plant’s operating costs. The city voted tonight on two motions and both passed. They are providing Escanaba Green Energy with a notice of termination and will retire the Escanaba power plant around January 25th of this month.

Escanaba Green Energy wants to convert the coal–burning plant to burn biomass instead. Both of these motions were approved with a 4 – 0 roll call vote. City voters decided last May to give the City Council the power to dispose of the power plant if necessary.