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DTE Energy to build “region’s largest” storage center at retired coal plant

DTE Energy to build “region’s largest” storage center at retired coal plant
Trenton Channel Power Plant (Credit: DTE Energy)

DTE Energy has announced it will convert a portion of its retired Trenton Channel coal power plant site to house a 220-MW battery energy storage center. When complete in 2026, the energy storage center is expected to be the largest standalone battery energy storage project in the Great Lakes region, according to the company.

The new Trenton Channel Energy Center will support DTE’s CleanVision Integrated Resource Plan and Michigan’s new statewide energy storage target, both of which DTE says align with its net zero carbon reduction goals. The facility will store electricity during times of excess generation and distribute the power to customers when they need it.

“Today, roughly one-third of all electricity generated by DTE comes from carbon-free resources,” said Jerry Norcia, chairman and chief executive officer of DTE Energy. “Our world-class solar, wind, and nuclear generation facilities are delivering reliable and clean electricity to our customers, and the Trenton Channel Energy Center is a significant milestone in accelerating our clean energy journey.”

The cost of the Trenton Channel site’s transformation is offset by $140 million in tax incentives through the 2022 federal Inflation Reduction Act and its infrastructure investment provisions.

The center will have the capacity to store 220 MW (or 880 MWh) of electricity. It also represents a step toward DTE’s goal to more than double its total energy storage capacity by 2042.

“DTE’s new Trenton Channel Energy Center will help us strengthen our grid and produce more clean power when it’s less costly and store it for later when we need it,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “DTE got this done with support from the Biden-Harris administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, further shoring up their position as Michigan’s top producer of renewable energy. Thanks to projects like today’s, strong federal leadership, and the Michigan Legislature’s clean energy and jobs package I signed into law last year, our future is bright. We will make more American energy using American workers, lower household energy costs, create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, and protect our air, land, and lakes. Let’s get it done.”

DTE retired its Trenton Channel coal power plant in 2022 as part of its plan to reach net zero carbon emissions. For nearly 100 years, the power plant served southeast Michigan residents, addressing the growth of Michigan’s post-World War I & II economies.

“The City is thrilled to see DTE utilize its existing site here in Trenton to create an essential new element of its infrastructure,” said Trenton Mayor Steven Rzeppa. “The Trenton plant was a fixture in our community for a century, and it’s encouraging to see DTE’s commitment to the site and the community, employing new technology here in a way that benefits DTE’s more than two million electric customers as well as the City of Trenton and its residents.”

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