The unreliable solar arrays and wind farms will also make our existing issues with grid reliability even worse. Local utility companies already struggle to keep the lights on when it snows, when it rains, when there is thunder, or when the wind blows. Moving Michigan further onto a grid overly reliant on perfect weather conditions will lead to spoiled food, dark rooms, and shivering children. It is a recipe for disaster.
Furthermore, children with special health care needs and disabilities will be affected, especially children with autism. The degree of audible noise and vibration along with shadow flickering will affect them tremendously because of their condition. There’s no protection for these children and families in the Bill Package.
Michigan families deserve lower monthly electric bills and more reliable service. These bills deliver neither of those things and actually make things worse for all of us on both fronts. For these reasons, I cannot and will not support these bills.”
Rep. Phil Green, having reserved the right to explain his protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement:
“Mr. Speaker and members of the House:
I voted no on Senate Bills 271, 273, 502, and 519 because this legislation will increase monthly electric bills for Michigan families and make our state’s energy grid far less reliable. As families struggle with high inflation and cold weather, they need affordability and reliability. They deserve to know that the heat will kick on when they flip the switch and that they can afford to pay the utility bill at the end of the month. Instead, these bills force Michigan to close existing power plants and build out expensive and experimental technologies to replace them.
Those increased costs will be passed on to Michigan families in the form of higher rates they cannot afford. The bills even go so far as to eliminate existing caps on rate increases, allowing utility companies to charge unlimited amounts and raise monthly electric bills as much as they want.
The unreliable solar arrays and wind farms will also make our existing issues with grid reliability even worse. Local utility companies already struggle to keep the lights on when it snows, when it rains, when there is thunder, or when the wind blows. Moving Michigan further onto a grid overly reliant on perfect weather conditions will lead to spoiled food, dark rooms, and shivering children. It is a recipe for disaster.
Michigan families deserve lower monthly electric bills and more reliable service. These bills deliver neither of those things and actually make things worse for all of us on both fronts. For these reasons, I cannot and will not support these bills.”
Senate Bill No. 273, entitled
A bill to amend 2008 PA 295, entitled “Clean and renewable energy and energy waste reduction act,” by amending sections 5, 7, 71, 73, 75, 77, 78, 91, and 93 (MCL 460.1005, 460.1007, 460.1071, 460.1073, 460.1075, 460.1077, 460.1078, 460.1091, and 460.1093), sections 5, 7, 71, 73, 75, 77, 91, and 93 as amended and section 78 as added by 2016 PA 342, and by adding sections 72, 80, and 80a; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.
Was read a third time and passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, by yeas and nays, as follows: