Patrick Bolin, CEO and general manager of the Michigan Public Power Agency (MPPA), told the Petoskey City Council on Dec. 1 that the city’s wholesale power portfolio looks “in pretty good shape” through 2030 but that it could run short of capacity in 2030–31.

Bolin said the industry faces large forecasting swings — scenarios that could show a multi-gigawatt deficit or an excess — driven by rapid technology change, permitting and interconnection delays, supply-chain disruptions and shifting federal policy. He reminded council the city must file a capacity demonstration under Public Act 341 with the state in February or March 2027 to show it can meet reliability standards through 2030.

On renewables, Bolin described MPPA as a “project based agency” and said many of its member communities have grown renewable portfolios substantially in recent years. He told council MPPA has committed roughly $1.3–$1.4 billion to renewable projects over recent years and cautioned that project costs and financing terms have become more challenging since 2021. “We’ve run into all sorts of problems — COVID supply chain problems,” he said, adding that changes in tax policy and tariffs have increased costs.

Bolin urged a staged approach to adding resources. He said battery energy storage remains a strong near-term option for combining decarbonization with resource adequacy and that members can choose different mixes — some will add gas-fired generation while others will prefer batteries. “You can actually go out and do your own projects,” Bolin said, noting MPPA’s bylaws do not require members to purchase through the joint agency if a local project makes economic sense.

Councilors pressed for specifics on feasibility and land needs. Bolin estimated utility-scale solar typically requires about 10 acres per megawatt on average and said technology improvements will increase future panel yields. He also flagged that market rules have reduced the reliability accreditation per megawatt for some renewable resources, which complicates achieving near-term renewables targets.

Bolin answered questions about a proposed landfill solar project in Petoskey and said USDA financing that was expected for a developer has become uncertain; the project can still be built but “without the USDA financing, the project…is going to be more expensive,” he said.

The presentation closed with Bolin offering MPPA technical support and facilitation: MPPA staff can assist Petoskey to identify partners and analyze project options, but the city retains the authority to proceed independently if that proves preferable.

What’s next: Councilors asked staff to continue working with MPPA on the city’s power-supply planning and to review options ahead of the statutory 2027 capacity filing.