Final Freighter Delivery to B.C. Cobb Plant at Port of Muskegon

After 70 years of coal deliveries, the Port of Muskegon received its final Great Lakes coal freighter delivery at the B.C. Cobb Plant yesterday.

Consumers Energy looked back at those 70 years yesterday afternoon.

The 1,000 foot M/V James R. Barker docked at the plant late Sunday afternoon, following a ceremonial escort across Muskegon Lake as the Interlake Steamship Company vessel completed its two-and-a-half day voyage from Superior, Wisc.

The freighter delivered more than 59,000 tons of low-sulfur Western U.S. coal, which provides the Cobb Plant enough fuel to continue operations until its scheduled shutdown in mid-April 2016. The Cobb Plant has been providing electricity to Michigan residents since 1948.

“This is a bittersweet occasion for Consumers Energy and the hundreds of current and retired B.C. Cobb employees who have worked safely to provide power to our customers,” said Timothy Sparks, the company’s vice president of energy supply operations.

The two units at Cobb are among nine generating units closing in Michigan in 2016. A total of 25 Michigan generating facilities are expected to close by 2020.

Meanwhile, Consumers Energy is planning for closure of the Cobb Plant and five other coal-powered generating units. It has reduced plant employment through attrition, and affected employees have been offered a job within Consumers Energy when the plants close.