Traverse City utility plans 100 percent renewables by 2040

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — A municipal utility in northern Michigan plans to generate all its electricity from renewable sources such as wind and the sun by 2040.

Traverse City Light & Power's board set the goal during a meeting Tuesday.

Kate Madigan of the Michigan Environmental Council says it's the first time a Michigan city has made such a commitment.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that the utility adopted an interim target of 40 percent renewable energy by 2025.

Traverse City Light & Power has about 12,500 residential and commercial customers.

Executive director Tim Arends says wind and solar power and improved energy efficiency have become economically competitive with fossil fuels. He says the utility's staff will develop a plan to achieve the goals.

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