TCLP Expands Renewable Sources

A new solar power complex in Oceana County will help Traverse City Light & Power expand its renewable energy portfolio.

The utility is among 14 Michigan municipal power companies who are partners in Hart Solar, a newly operating utility-scale solar project providing power through the Michigan Public Power Agency (MPPA).

Utility officials said the project adds another Michigan-based renewable source to TCLP’s power supply portfolio, and is projected to generate approximately 7 percent of its annual renewable energy supply.

“Hart Solar gives us an opportunity to diversify our power supply and provide greater long-term cost stability, while our partnership through MPPA allows us to share the investment and risk associated with projects like this,” utility Chief Financial Officer Karla Myers-Beman stated in a media release announcing the deal. “That combination of sustainability, reliability and financial stewardship is important to TCLP and our customers.”

The solar installation is rated at 120 megawatts (MWs), with 50 MWs allocated to municipal utilities through MPPA.  Those 50 MWs are expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 8,580 homes. TCLP accounts for just over 26 percent of the municipal utility investment.

TCLP officials say their goal is to develop a diverse portfolio that combines utility-scale renewable generation with local initiatives including its Customer Generation Program, which helps customers integrate small-scale renewable energy systems. The utility has also implemented demand response programs that help participating businesses reduce electricity use during periods of high demand, and recently constructed its Hall Street solar canopy and battery storage project.

“We don’t believe there’s one answer to a cleaner energy future. It takes many answers working together,” says Brandie Ekren, executive director of TCLP. “Hart Solar brings more Michigan-made renewable energy to our community, and it sits alongside the work we’re doing on storage, customer solar, and demand response.”