LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A coal-fired power plant that supplies electricity to downtown Lansing and a General Motors factory probably will close in four years or less.
The chairman of the city-owned utility says Lansing likely will turn to a cleaner form of energy to replace the coal used to produce electricity at the Eckert plant. It's known for its three enormous smokestacks.
David Price says it's too expensive to maintain the power plant, especially at a time of new federal rules for coal-burning utilities. The Lansing State Journal says the cost of replacing Eckert hasn't been determined.
Interim general manager Dick Peffley says maintaining Eckert is like taking care of a car that's 50 years old. It produces about a third of the peak power load at the Board of Water & Light.