Consumers Energy says it plans to build the Cross Winds Energy Park in Tuscola and Huron counties. The wind turbine project is scheduled to begin commercial operation in two phases, in 2015 and 2017.
The Jackson-based utility is working on a
in Michigan.
Besides Cross Winds, the company has secured acres for wind farm development in Mason County, on the west side of the state. In total, the company has agreements to site wind farms on about 60,000 acres in Michigan. The developments are to be owned and operated by Consumers, which also has plans for a $2 billion-plus coal-fired plant in Bay County.
"Wind holds great promise for Michigan as a renewable energy source," Linda Hilbert, Consumers Energy’s manager of renewable energy, said in a statement.
"Wind is expected to be the primary means by which Consumers Energy will meet Michigan’s 10 percent renewable energy standard."
This week, the Michigan Public Service Commission designated an area that includes parts of Tuscola, Huron, Bay, Saginaw, and Sanilac counties as the state's primary
.