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The Ludington Pumped Storage Plant sits on a 1,000-acre site along the Lake Michigan shoreline, four miles south of Ludington. We operate the plant and share ownership with DTE Energy. It began producing electricity in 1973.
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Lake Michigan water is pumped uphill during periods of low electric demand and stored in a large reservoir. When electricity demand is high, the water is released from the upper reservoir through six pump-turbines for power generation. After passing through the pump-turbines, this water flows back into the lake.
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The plant supports local schools and governments by contributing $11 million in annual property taxes.
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We protect and manage local plant and wildlife habitats. This site has butterfly gardens and wood duck nesting boxes as part of the plant’s certification by the Wildlife Habitat Council.
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The Ludington Pumped Storage Plant has a capacity of 1,875 megawatts, enough to power a community of 1.4 million people.
Pumped Up So We Won’t Let You Down
It’s been called one of the world’s biggest electric batteries. The Ludington Pumped Storage Plant can provide energy at a moment’s notice. This and its sustainable fuel source make Ludington an important part of our generating fleet. That means fewer inconveniences and more savings for you.
Ludington’s elegantly simple technology enables the plant to respond quickly to the daily, weekly and seasonal highs and lows of Michigan’s energy demand. The plant also helps keep rates lower because we can avoid the expensive spot market when electricity demand is high. The immense size of Ludington and its six-unit design offers flexibility in balancing electricity demand with electric output at the flip of a switch.
Learn more about the Ludington Relicensing Project.
Read more about the project in Hydro Review.