State Rep. Karl Bohnak on Wednesday highlighted the importance of his plan to safeguard energy production in the Upper Peninsula after dangerously low temperatures and winter conditions swept over the U.P. Bohnak’s legislation would exempt the U.P.’s 13 Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine (RICE) generators from sweeping green energy legislation passed in 2023, ensuring energy production will continue even in the depths of winter.

“When the sky gets dark and the windchill dips well below zero, our RICE generators are what’s keeping our communities safe and warm,” said Bohnak, R-Deerton. “Regardless of how you feel, ensuring we have reliable forms of energy in the winter months is a top priority. Last weekend, Marquette and the surrounding communities faced wind chills as low as -25 degrees paired with intense snowfall. If we don’t have reliable energy during those conditions, it wouldn’t just be an inconvenience, people could die.”

The RICE generators were built to stabilize the U.P.’s energy grid following the decommissioning of the Presque Isle and Shiras coal power plants in 2019. The generators are basically new and have a lifecycle through 2050. If nothing is done, the generators will be forced to shut down or change operations drastically before the new green energy laws take full effect.

“Ensuring the long-term stability of our RICE generators is critical to protecting our baseload energy supply in the U.P.,” Bohnak said. “I’m hopeful that my colleagues in the House will prioritize the passage of my plan so U.P. residents can breathe a sigh of relief knowing the heat won’t all of sudden fail when things get really cold.”

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