April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

Consumers Energy is working on the Clean Energy Plan with the goal of retiring the company's entire fleet of coal-burning power plants on one of the nation’s most aggressive timelines.

In a press release, the company says they hope to accelerate Michigan's clean energy transition and meet the needs of nearly 2 million homes and businesses throughout the state.

Spokesman Brian Wheeler told our media partners at WLNS Lansing, over 60 percent of the company’s power will come from renewable sources by the year 2040.

“There aren’t many other places in the country where this is happening. By 2025, all of our existing coal plants will be closed.”

Today, Consumers Energy owns and operates three solar power plants, four wind parks, 13 hydroelectric dams, and the Ludington Pumped Storage plant, one of the world’s largest electric storage batteries.

The company also buys electricity from 10 third-party-owned wind parks and 34 third-party-owned solar power plants.

Heading into the warmer months, Consumers Energy offers households the opportunity to shift some energy use away from peak times, between 2 and 7 p.m.

The Summer Rate runs from June 1 through September 30 and consists of “on-peak” and “off-peak” rates, where the electricity rate will be about 1.5 times higher than the “off-peak” rate price.

Under this structure, customers will pay a lower rate for electricity used outside of “on-peak” times during the months of October through May.

“Our anticipation is that over the next generation, our customers are going to save over $600 million dollars. We’re making a commitment to clean energy today, tomorrow, and for generations to come," said Wheeler.

Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider that services natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million residents throughout the lower peninsula.