Tri-City Sun

Last month, Jason Hayes, the Director of Energy and Environmental Policy at the Mackinac Center, presented a statement opposing Senate Bills 271-277 to the Michigan Senate Energy and Environment Committee. The Mackinac Center, located in Midland, Michigan, is a nonprofit research and educational institute.

The bills were introduced by Senate Democrats in April as part of the "MI Healthy Climate Plan," aimed at advancing clean energy, according to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.

"Senate Bills 271 to 277 are bad energy policies because they are going to force the state to use 100% renewable energy sources like solar and wind. But that will inject enormous costs into our electricity system and it will also make our system far less reliable," Hayes said.

Hayes went on to address the specific costs of the bills as the reasons for his opposition. 

"Senate Bills 271 to 277 are blackout bills," Hayes said, according to the statement. "They will impose staggering cost increases for Michigan’s electricity services while drastically reducing reliability. Early results of modeling indicate that SB 271-277 would add more than $120 billion in additional costs by 2035 and more than $385 billion by 2050."

Hayes' statement included a comprehensive outline of the proposed bills, which aimed to bring about significant changes in the energy sector. Among the key provisions were mandates for electricity providers to progressively raise the proportion of renewable energy in their supply, with the target of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2035. 

Additionally, the bills sought to put an end to coal-fired electricity entirely by 2030, as well as other provisions. Hayes also highlighted the input and concerns raised by other energy experts, according to the statement.

"If lawmakers wish to achieve Gov. Whitmer's CO2 reduction goals, there are far more moderate plans that could be adopted without imposing electricity shortfalls and blackouts," Hayes said, according to his statement. 

"Our modeling shows that a more reasonably paced plan, which adds carbon capture to existing coal and natural gas plants will still achieve these goals, while saving more than $90 billion through 2035 and almost $180 billion through 2050. The bills reviewed in the Senate Energy Committee today are a dangerous and economy-crushing rush into green energy caused shortages. Michigan legislators should reject them immediately."