MPSC will retain control over renewable permits

The bill gave the Public Service Commission authority to approve large-scale renewable energy sources and was passed in November 2023 as part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s sweeping energy reforms that made Michigan the first Midwestern U.S. state with a net zero goal.

Citizens for Local Choice opposed the bill, arguing that the MPSC is unable to effectively evaluate local issues because “locals have better insight into the needs of their community than the state.”

However, the petition did not collect enough signatures to enter into force. More than 6,000 residents of Livingston County in southeastern Michigan signed the petition in March, but that was well short of the more than 350,000 signatures required by Michigan law for the issue to be on the ballot in the November election.

Citizens for Local Choice said it will work to put the petition on the state ballot in 2026, potentially sparking another multi-year debate over renewable energy permits in Michigan.

The MPSC recently rejected two requests to replace power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed for biomass projects with new contracts for solar farms, as the commission seeks to manage growing interest in renewable energy in Michigan.

The role of permits is becoming increasingly important in the US, where approximately 1 TW of photovoltaic capacity is waiting to be connected to the grid. The MISO grid, to which Michigan is connected, has nearly 200 GW of solar capacity waiting to be connected.