Michigan's Biggest Hydro Dam Faces $350M Fix Tied to Utility Sale
Source: mlive.com
- Michigan's largest hydro dam needs a $350 million overhaul to prevent failures like past floods.
- The fix depends on Consumers Energy selling the dam and 12 others for $1 each to a private buyer.
- State regulators worry the new owner might not maintain it, risking safety and billions in costs.
Consumers Energy wants to sell its 13 aging hydro dams, including Michigan's largest on the Au Sable River, because upkeep costs outstrip power revenue. The $350 million repair for the biggest dam hinges on this sale to Confluence Energy, a private firm. It matters because dam failures have already caused massive flooding, and a bad sale could leave ratepayers and taxpayers footing huge bills.