Michigan public power utility Zeeland Board of Public Works is launching a major initiative this summer to update its long-term plan for how the community is powered.
“This effort, focused on the future of local electric generation, reliability, affordability, and sustainability, reflects the utility’s ongoing commitment to serving Zeeland residents with excellence for generations to come,” the utility said.
As energy markets evolve and demands on power systems increase, Zeeland BPW is proactively refreshing its Integrated Resource Plan, which helps guide decisions about power generation and supply.
The updated plan will account for critical changes such as tightening capacity markets, aging infrastructure, electrification, renewable energy targets, and shifting customer expectations, it noted.
“Reliable, affordable power has always been our top priority,” said Bob Mulder, Electric Power Supply & Market Operations Manager at the BPW. “But as the energy landscape changes, we must continue to look ahead. This planning process will enable us to make informed, community-focused decisions about how we generate and procure energy in the future.”
The last fully updated IRP was completed in 2012. Since then, the energy landscape has experienced significant changes.
Zeeland BPW believes that now is the right time to re-evaluate its mix of on-system generation and off-system resources, while continuing to prioritize competitive rates, reliability, and risk management.
In addition to updating the technical power supply plan, the IRP process will include a stakeholder engagement component to ensure community perspectives are considered. Zeeland BPW will gather input from key community leaders, businesses, residents, and other stakeholder groups throughout the planning process.
While final decisions will remain with the BPW Board and Zeeland City Council, community feedback will be an important part of the process.
After a competitive evaluation process, Zeeland BPW has selected nFront Consulting LLC to support both the IRP update and the stakeholder engagement work. nFront was chosen based on their technical expertise, thoughtful approach, and successful track record with other public power utilities.
The updated IRP process will unfold over the coming year, with opportunities for community involvement along the way.
"Zeeland BPW looks forward to sharing more as the project progresses," it said.
