By starting up a new natural gas power plant during the second quarter, DTE Energy was able to retire two coal-fired power plants in its Southeast Michigan service area, management said last week.

“We continue our journey of transitioning to a clean energy future, highlighted by putting our new natural gas plant in service, on time and on budget,” DTE Energy’s CEO Jerry Norcia told analysts during the company’s 2Q2022 earnings call.

The DTE Electric subsidiary’s Blue Water Energy Center natural gas-fired plant, a nearly $1 billion facility in East China Township, began commercial operations in June.

He said the 1,150-MW combined-cycle plant provides power for 850,000 homes and marks DTE’s largest step to date in lowering carbon emissions.

DTE Electric timed...