CMS Energy

CMS Energy is a public utility supplying electric power and natural gas to most of Michigan. Its headquarters are located in Jackson, Michigan. The company has operated since 1890.

Its two principal subsidiaries are Consumers Energy and CMS Enterprises. Consumers Energy is a public utility that provides natural gas and electricity to more than 6 million of Michigan's 10 million residents and serves customers in all 68 of the state’s Lower Peninsula counties. CMS Enterprises' primary businesses are independent power production and natural gas transmission.

Political contributions
CMS Energy is one of the largest energy company contributors to both Republican and Democratic candidates for Congress. These contributions total $124,850 to the 110th US Congress (as of the third quarter), the largest of which has been to Sen. John Dingell (D-MI) for $17,000. Rep. Dingell, for his part, has consistently voted with the coal industry on energy, war and climate bills. CMS Energy also contributed to Joseph K. Knollenberg, David Lee Camp, $8,500; Bart Stupak, $6,600 and Frederick Stephen Upton, $6,000.

Contributions like this from fossil fuel companies to members of Congress are often seen as a political barrier to pursuing clean energy, and this is particularly true in the case of Rep. Dingell, who chaired the Committee on Energy and Commerce until 2009.

More information on coal industry contributions to Congress can be found at FollowtheCoalMoney.org, a project sponsored by the nonpartisan, nonprofit Oil Change International and Appalachian Voices.

CEO Compensation
In May 2007, Forbes listed CMS Energy CEO David Joos as receiving $2.38 million in total compensation for the latest fiscal year, with a three-year total compensation of $6.16 million. He ranked 35th on the list of CEOs in the Utilities industry, and 419th among all CEOs in the United States.

Power portfolio
Out of its total 8,439 MW of electric generating capacity in 2005 (0.79% of the U.S. total), CMS produces 36.6% from coal, 26.4% from natural gas, 25.0% from hydroelectricity, 9.6% from nuclear, and 2.8% from wood, oil, and tires. CMS owns power plants in Michigan, California, Connecticut, and North Carolina; 98.6% of its generating capacity comes from Michigan.

Governor Granhom, in her 2009 State of the State message, has asked all Michigan utilities to evaluate renewable alternatives to new generation projects.

Proposed coal-fired power plants

 * Karn/Weadock Generating Complex Expansion - cancelled December 2011

Existing coal-fired power plants
CMS had 14 coal-fired generating stations in 2005, with 3,055 MW of capacity. Here is a list of CMS's coal power plants:

In 2006, CMS's five coal-fired power plants emitted 20.3 million tons of CO2 and 89,000 tons of SO2 (0.6% of all U.S. SO2 emissions).

Consumers Energy cancels Karn/Weadock expansion, announces retirement of seven aging coal units, and develops two new wind farms
On December 2, 2011, Consumers Energy announced that is was cancelling the proposed 800 megawatt Karn/Weadock Generating Complex Expansion because of "reduced customer demand for electricity due to the recession and slow economic recovery, surplus generating capacity in the Midwest market, and lower natural gas prices linked to expanded shale gas supplies." In addition, the company announced that it was suspending operations by the end of 2014 at seven existing generating units, included two units at the Whiting Generating Plant, two units at the Cobb Generating Plant, and two at the Karn Weadock Generating Complex. The company reported that it began construction in November 2011 of its first wind farm, the 100 MW Lake Winds Energy Park, in Mason County. Consumers Energy is also developing the 150 MW Cross Winds Energy Park in Tuscola County.

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