LANSING, MI— Upper Peninsula lawmakers are urging the Michigan Senate to approve bills that would classify U.P. natural gas generators as clean energy.
Legislation already passed by the state House would exempt reciprocating internal combustion engines—or RICE generators—from shutting down to cancel out greenhouse gases. The generators are operated by Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corporation.
Michigan law requires all energy generation to be green by 2040, but the units are bonded out until 2049.
An administrative law judge in October recommended that the Michigan Public Service Commission allow UMERC customers to cover the costs of prematurely retiring the RICE generators.
Senator Ed McBroom and Representatives Greg Markkanen, Dave Prestin, and Karl Bohnak say if that happens, customers would still have to pay for the units and for whatever power source replaces them. They estimate it would cost customers more than $10 million starting in January 2026 and nearly $13 million in 2027.
