‘“We can’t allow projects of statewide importance that are critical to our state energy security to be vetoed on purely local concerns,” said Dan Scripps, chair of Michigan’s Public Service Commission.”
That just about sums up the necessity for a controversial provision in Michigan’s new climate legislation that was passed in November. The provision allows state authorities to approve locations for green utility-scale projects. Lawmakers hope this will help Michigan hit its 2040 carbon free grid target by essentially overriding the local community input mechanisms that saw more than two dozen utility scale renewable projects as of last May.
Michigan is not alone. According to this AP article, about a dozen states are pursuing similar legislation.
What I wonder is if this legislation gives the state authorities similar power over transmission projects. As is often discussed on this forum, transmission development is a prerequisite to America’s much hyped energy transition. Unfortunately, over the past two decades or so, transmission has stagnated due in large part to the community input mechanisms that Michigan has sought to bypass.