MILWAUKEE, WI (AP)-- We Energies could shut down its power plant in Marquette unless it works out a deal with the Midwest power grid operator.
In a filing with securities regulators, the Milwaukee-based utility has asked the operator of the Midwest wholesale power market to allow it to suspend operation of the Presque Isle power plant in February through May 2015 unless the power is needed for reliability reasons.
Midcontinent Independent System Operator could wind up paying We Energies to keep the plant running. We Energies has about 1 million customers in Wisconsin and Michigan. About 28,000 are in the U.P.
The Journal Sentinel says We Energies lost more than 85 percent of energy demand in Michigan when Cliffs Natural Resources and other customers switched to alternative power suppliers under the state's electricity choice program.
