Wolverine Power Supply Company wants to build a substation along a scenic stretch of highway heading towards Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

It is also about the ability of local governments—in this case two townships—to determine how they will grow, and whether or not our utilities are taking steps to meet our new energy future.

In case you haven’t heard, Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative Inc., the same firm that wants to build a very large coal-, petroleum coke-, and wood-burning generating plant in Rogers City, is trying to quiet public opposition to a new transmission substation it says it needs to meet future energy demand in Leelanau County.

The stretch of road where it wants to build the structure is right next to Traverse City Light and Power’s graceful, iconic wind turbine—the state’s first—and is also a gateway to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, the only national park in our region. A lot of people think it is a peculiar location to place such an unsightly complex of metal and wire.

Before proposing the substation for Elmwood, Wolverine tried to build it in Garfield Township. But it encountered opposition from Garfield’s zoning board of appeals. Now that Elmwood has also formally turned down the proposal, the firm is appealing to the Michigan Public Service Commission.

A number of hearing about the proposal over the past few months, including last week’s, (which MPSC requires for utilities trying to avoid local zoning), revealed deep skepticism about the idea.

Some people wonder whether there really is an increase in demand for electricity in this area, given the number of shuttered businesses and homes for sale. Others ask why would we allow an expansion of the electricity grid’s capacity when Michigan may soon start doing what a number of other states do: Require utilities to help their customers take steps to reduce their energy demand. Some states that have done this, including both warm- and cold-weather ones, have had downright amazing results.

If Wolverine was working on energy efficiency, rather than on new transmission capacity and new generation that uses pet coke, a very dirty and somewhat experimental fuel, it could save its customers, including members of Cherryland Electric Coop, which imports its power from Wolverine, some serious money, air pollution, and global warming gases. And it could preserve some nice scenery.

As I said in my remarks at last week’s hearing, the Wolverine substation proposal goes against local zoning; the public process has been incomplete; and it remains unclear whether the project is even necessary.

One has to wonder: Exactly who would benefit from a new electrical transmission substation? Until Wolverine can answer this question, it’s likely that the company will continue to run into opposition for their bid to invest big money in their inefficient, outdated approach to powering our new energy future.