Full retirement of DTE's Monroe Power Plant moved up to 2032

DTE Energy reached a clean energy settlement agreement on Wednesday with nearly two dozen organizations across the state. As part of the agreement, the Monroe Power Plant on East Front Street will be fully retired in 2032, three years ahead of its previously announced retirement date.

The Monroe Power Plant has four generating units. Two of the units will be retired in 2028. Last fall, DTE announced plans to retire the last two units in 2035.

“Through this agreement, we advanced retirement of the last two units by three years. Full retirement will be 2032 now,” Ryan Lowry, DTE Energy spokesman, said.

"DTE Electric will surpass its previously announced carbon emission reduction goals – targeting 85% in nine years (2032), 90% by 2040 and net zero carbon emissions by 2050," the company said.

The agreement will require approval by the Michigan Public Service Commission, the company said. It was reached between DTE , MPSC staff, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, representatives of Michigan’s environmental community, business and labor organizations, and energy industry associations.

"Reaching a settlement agreement highlights the constructive, collaborative nature with the company’s stakeholders as it begins implementation of this transformational plan," the company said.

“Our CleanVision Integrated Resource Plan will end our use of coal in 2032 while developing enough Michigan-made renewables to power approximately 4 million homes,” Jerry Norcia, DTE Energy chairman and chief executive officer, said. “Today’s historic agreement is an investment in Michigan’s future, and we are grateful that 21 organizations from across Michigan have joined us in bringing our proposal one step closer to reality. This partnership and dedication have helped us build the best plan possible for our customers. We are also proud this plan puts our customers first by reducing the future costs of our clean energy transformation by $2.5 billion, while reliably generating cleaner, affordable energy now, and for generations to come.”

The agreement is part of DTE’s 20-year plan to increase Michigan-made solar and wind energy and reduce its reliance on coal by retiring coal plants and developing new energy storage.

No changes are planned for DTE’s Fermi II Nuclear Power Plant near Newport.

“DTE Energy has been a member of the Monroe County community for decades. Fully retiring the Monroe Power Plant three years ahead of schedule will not change our commitment and partnership to ensure the county thrives,” DTE Energy said in a written release. “Monroe represents a strategic corridor for DTE’s generation and delivery of energy throughout Michigan, and our Fermi II Nuclear Power Plant, which generates nearly 20% of our energy carbon-free, will continue to operate in the decades to come.”

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No plans have been announced for the Monroe Power Plant site after the plant is retired.

“While we do not have immediate plans for the Monroe Power Plant site after retirement, the DTE leadership team is interested in evaluating possible opportunities and looks forward to working with the community to find solutions that result in affordable, reliable and clean energy for our customers,” DTE said in the statement.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Full retirement of DTE's Monroe Power Plant moved up to 2032