Residents urge Ottawa County to withdraw support for keeping Campbell coal plant open
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Summary
Multiple public commenters asked the board to rescind a 2025 resolution urging the Michigan Public Service Commission to delay closing the Campbell coal plant, citing costs, health risks, and reliability claims; others defended keeping the plant operating during extreme cold.
During the public comment period, residents debated a 2025 county resolution asking the Michigan Public Service Commission to postpone closure of the 63-year-old Campbell coal plant. John Beyer of Holland urged commissioners to rescind the Feb. 5, 2025 resolution, arguing the plant imposes "unnecessary costs, harmful health risks, and harms the environment," and cited a company figure that keeping the plant open imposes an uncompensated daily cost he said is nearly $615,000.
Mary Ellen Mica argued the retirement had been reviewed by MISO and the MPSC and that replacements would preserve grid reliability; she recommended that local officials let Consumers Energy, MISO and the MPSC continue their technical reviews. Joseph Parnell McCarter, an online commenter with the Save the Campbell effort, countered that a recent MISO "Maxgen" (emergency) event showed the plant provided reliable power during extreme cold and urged consideration of local-control options such as a cooperative.
No board action was taken on the Campbell resolution during the meeting; board members and staff did not place a rescission motion on the agenda. Several commissioners later noted energy-sector reporting about winter reliability issues and said they would review additional materials and community input before taking any formal step.
Because public comments referenced prior board action (the Feb. 5, 2025 resolution), staff and commissioners said they would consider whether the board should revisit, reaffirm or withdraw that earlier resolution at a future meeting.