A new natural gas electric plant in Niles helps Michigan maintain its energy supply while providing additional tax support for the community. So says Congressman Fred Upton after visiting the Indeck Niles Energy Center last week. He tells us the plant was a long time in the making.
“It’s cost was over a billion dollars,” Upton said. “It took a number of years. “Actually, it was about ten years in the planning stage to get it done. I had a hand in it working with federal and state authorities, but at the end of the day, knowing the Palisades plant was going to close, we’ve got to find another source of electricity.”
The Indeck Niles Energy Center began producing energy at full capacity on July 1 after 34 months of construction. The plant can provide enough energy for 650,000 homes and businesses and sits on ten acres of the 373-acre site made up of previously contaminated land. Upton says Indeck has invested millions of dollars to clean up the site and has employed hundreds in the process. He adds the plant has practically doubled the tax base of Niles.
