LANSING, MI (WTVB) – Michigan House Republicans recently introduced a sweeping energy policy package, dubbed “Project Lighthouse,” aimed at repealing key components of the state’s 2023 clean energy laws.
The proposal, led by House Energy Committee Chair Rep. Pauline Wendzel (R-Watervliet) and Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township), seeks to eliminate the mandate requiring electricity providers to reach 100% clean energy by 2040.
Republican leaders argue that these “green dream” mandates have driven up utility costs for residents and claim their plan could save the average household approximately $500 per year by forcing utilities to lower rates and prioritizing grid reliability over environmental targets.
The package also targets the authority of the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), seeking to strip its power to override local zoning for large-scale solar and wind projects—a significant point of contention from the 2023 reforms.
Additionally, the bills would defund various consumer advocacy groups that Republicans claim use ratepayer money to push “social and environmental justice” initiatives rather than lower rates.
While House Democrats and environmental groups like the Michigan Environmental Council have criticized the move as “politicizing” the issue and risking future energy affordability, the legislation faces a difficult path forward in the Democratic-controlled Senate and likely opposition from Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
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