TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Light & Power officials will meet with neighborhood groups in an effort to solve the utility's long-term electrical generation concerns.
The city-owned power company buys and imports almost all of its electricity from downstate or out-of-state sources, and the bulk of those sources use coal to generate power. Light & Power officials want to change that formula, but they're not quite sure how.
Light & Power Executive Director Ed Rice said utility officials are in the process of scheduling meetings with the city's neighborhood associations to consult with residents.
"It's going to be important to get some input and feedback from the residents," Rice said.
The utility last year scrapped plans to build a wood-burning biomass plant after public outcry. Officials said they didn't handle that process well, largely because there wasn't enough public input early on.
"We don't want to just announce something," Rice said. "We tried that before and it didn't go over well."
Biomass is off the table, and Light & Power doesn't want to keep buying coal-based energy. Officials there said renewable sources like wind and solar wouldn't meet even half of the utility's energy needs, though they still hope to have as much renewable as possible.
Light & Power obtains about 10 percent of its energy from renewable sources now, and that number is expected to grow.
Natural gas generation likely is the best option to meet Light & Power's needs right now, Rice said, though it's not clear if residents would support a local gas plant. Even some Light & Power board members wouldn't back the idea.
"Power is available off the grid in long-term contracts," said Light & Power board member Mike Estes. "Is it in the best interest of our ratepayers to build something? I would contend it's not."
If a plant is built, Estes believes natural gas makes the most sense. Whatever the decision, he believes the public needs to have ample input. So does board Chairman Mike Coco.
"The key to us having (success) as a community is to get the public process portion correct," he said. "We have to have community input and community support for whatever options we put out there."
Slabtown Neighborhood Association President Mike Gaines is glad Light & Power is seeking neighborhood input. Utility officials will meet with the Slabtown group next month.
"I think most city residents would always prefer having more communication rather than less," Gaines said.
