UPPER PENINSULA, Mich. (WLUC) – We’re continuing to follow an amendment that would classify the U.P’s RICE generators as clean energy and prevent their shutdown under the 2023 Michigan Clean Energy Law.

That amendment was intended for Thursday’s agenda in the state legislature. But a new development in the proposed plan for Upper Michigan to meet the green energy law could impact that amendment’s future.

Rep. Dave Prestin says the omission of the RICE generator bills from the Senate agenda was a surprise to him, causing frustration.

“So, at 11:30, we were told that our bills were not even on the Senate agenda,” Prestin said. “We knew that the MPSC decision was coming down at 1:00. At 1:00, they decided to reject the administrative law judge’s opinion on this,” Prestin said.

According to the 2023 state green energy law, the U.P. will need to get 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2040. The Upper Michigan Energy Resource Commission proposed a plan for the region to reach this goal, which said rice generators would need to be shut down.

But U.P. legislators have argued replacing the rice generators would be too costly, which spurred the proposed amendment. Thursday afternoon, the Michigan Public Service Commission officially rejected UMERC’s plan, saying UMERC misunderstood the law, and RICE generators do not need to be shut down.

The National Resource Defense Council supports the MPSC’s decision. The NRDC’s director of climate and energy, Derrell Slaughter, said UMERC’s plan has inflated what the costs will be.

“Included was battery storage, which, you know, is a great technology and our organization is strong advocates,” Slaughter said. “But, you know, clearly in compliance with the renewable energy plan, that is not appropriate technology to include in that compliance.”

But Prestin said the amendment is still necessary to protect U.P. industries.

“And I can tell you right now that Cleveland Cliffs, just looking at the $10.5 million and having to pay 50% of that, was going to cause them to move operations,” Prestin said. “So the fact that we did nothing and it looks like we’re going to continue to do nothing because there doesn’t seem like there’s a willingness to actually move on this is just inexcusable,” Prestin said.

UMERC can refile a revised plan next year. Slaughter hopes UMERC creates one more in line with the 2023 law.

“Looking forward to them to taking more feedback from a broader set of stakeholders to bring, again, a plan that’s more reflective of what is actually needed,” Slaughter said.

The state legislature will return after the first of the year. We will continue to follow both the amendment and the renewable energy plan.

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