Pending retirement of Erickson Power Station later in 2022 also honored
The Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) celebrated the grand opening today of its new, cleaner, and more efficient $500 million natural gas-fired combine cycle generating Delta Energy Park (DEP), capable of generating 250 megawatts (MWs). Located at the Erickson Power Station in Delta Township, DEP is BWL’s second natural gas plant. The new plant replaces BWL’s coal-fired Eckert Power Station which retired in 2020 and supports the utility’s increased renewable portfolio.
The event also honored Erickson Power Station, which was commissioned in 1973 and will retire by December 2022. Erickson’s retirement will make the BWL the largest utility in Michigan to generate coal-free power by 2022, reducing its carbon emissions by 80 percent.
“Delta Energy Park marks a milestone in BWL history for being able to generate safe, affordable power to the greater Lansing region,” said BWL General Manager Dick Peffley. “Along with moving us closer to our clean energy goals, this plant has opened the door for tremendous regional economic growth opportunities, such as BWL being the catalyst for the State of Michigan and General Motors to locate GM’s $2.6 billion electric vehicle battery plant just a few miles down the road. DEP has also resulted in ongoing conversations with new, large industrial customers looking to build in Lansing.”
“This plant is just one way BWL is committing to providing reliable energy from cleaner energy sources to our community,” said Semone James, Chair of the BWL Board of Commissioners. “I’m proud of BWL for leading the way to becoming a cleaner, more sustainable utility.”
DEP went operational on March 16, 2022. The plant has combustion turbines capable of 57MWs each and one steam turbine generator capable of 90MWs. The plant took 1.4 million labor hours to create, which included laying 30,000 cubic yards of concrete, 10 miles of mechanical piping, 20,000 miles of electrical cabling, and 20,000 hours of operator training.
Delta Energy Park was built by a combination of local and national firms, including:
- Construction Manager – Lansing Power Constructors, a joint venture between Lansing’s Clark Construction and Barton Malow
- Owner’s Representative – Lansing’s Kramer Management Group
- Design Engineer – Black & Veatch
- Owner’s Engineer – Sergeant & Lundy
- Transmission Line Contractor – Michigan’s Consumers Energy
“Erickson put in its time and has earned the rights of retirement after nearly 50 years of providing power to the region,” said Peffley. “It’s where I got my start at the BWL over 45 years ago. I’m sad to see it go, but proud of what it means to move the company to cleaner energy options.”
The BWL has around 100,000 electric customers, 58,000 water customers, 155 steam customers and 19 chilled water customers. For more information about the BWL’s energy portfolio and to view a tour of the new plant, visit www.lbwl.com/facilities.
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