CMS Energy Announces Purchase of Lansing-Area Solar Project, Providing Clean Energy to Power 3,300 Homes

LANSING, Mich., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CMS Energy announced today that its subsidiary, CMS Enterprises, is purchasing Delta Solar, a 24-megawatt, two-part solar power project under construction that will provide enough energy to the Lansing Board of Water & Light to power 3,300 homes through a power purchase agreement.

"We are committed to meeting Michigan's energy needs with reliable and increasingly clean sources of energy, and we are pleased to take ownership of a project that will benefit homes and businesses in our state's capital region," said Patti Poppe, president and CEO of CMS Energy.

"Delta Solar will be Michigan's second-largest solar power plant, representing our company's ability to help meet Michigan's need for new renewable energy sources as the state continues to grow."

The Delta Solar project, which is composed of two phases, is currently under construction by Vermont-based groSolar, a subsidiary of EDF Renewable Energy. The project will be operational by the summer of 2018, helping the Lansing Board of Water & Light to achieve its renewable energy goals.

The solar power plant sits on about 190 acres in Delta Township in Eaton County, adjacent to the General Motors Lansing Delta Assembly Plant. Work on the project is expected to create about 150 construction jobs and is expected to be complete in 2018.

The solar power plant has been developed to date by groSolar, which has 20 years of leading solar development, engineering and construction experience. CMS Enterprises and groSolar worked together to develop the 2.5-megawatt Flambeau Solar power plant this year in northern Wisconsin, the largest solar project in that state.

"GroSolar is pleased to be continuing its partnership with CMS Energy and proud to support LBWL's efforts to expand their renewable energy portfolio," said Jamie Resor, groSolar CEO.

CMS Energy currently has two solar power plants in Michigan, at Western Michigan University and Grand Valley State University, in addition to the Flambeau Solar plant in Wisconsin. The Company's renewable energy commitment also includes wind farms in the Thumb and near Lake Michigan, in addition to three biomass facilities in Michigan and North Carolina.

"There is a growing interest in developing clean, renewable energy sources, and CMS Energy is well positioned to respond," Poppe said. "We expect Delta Solar to be a visible example of our commitment to the planet and the communities we serve in Michigan."

CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based company that has an electric and natural gas utility, Consumers Energy, as its primary business and CMS Enterprises, an independent power company that owns and operates independent power generation businesses.

For more information about CMS Energy, go to www.CMSEnergy.com.

SOURCE CMS Energy