# New Covert Generating Facility

PJM Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle · https://askthegrid.com/assets/facilities/new-covert-generating-facility

New Covert Generating Facility is a natural gas-fired power facility with 1,176 MW of EIA-reported nameplate capacity in Van Buren County, Michigan, registered as EIA Plant ID 55297. The plant's generating configuration is natural-gas-fired combined-cycle generating facility with six generating units. Consumers Energy Company acquired the project from New Covert Generating Company, LLC in May 2023.

## Key facts

- Technology: Natural Gas Fired Combined Cycle
- Power capacity: 1176 MW
- Operating status: operating

## Grid and market context

- ISO/RTO: PJM
- Balancing authority: PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM)
- Substation: Segreto
- Point of interconnection: Segreto
- Transmission owner: ITC Interconnection LLC (ITCI)
- Interconnection voltage: 345 kV

## Source-backed facts

- Owner logo domain: consumersenergy.com — Corporate Overview | Consumers Energy · confidence: high
- Identifiers: [{"value":"55297","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"PJM","system":"ISO/RTO and balancing authority"},{"value":"CONS.CC.COVER1","system":"PJM LMP node"},{"value":"New Covert Generating Station","system":"PJM location designation"},{"value":"1, 1A, 2, 2A, 3, 3A","system":"EIA generator IDs"},{"value":"ER06-1058","system":"FERC tariff docket"},{"value":"ER23-1050-000","system":"FERC interconnection docket"},{"value":"U-2190","system":"Michigan PSC case"}] — eLibrary | Document Information · confidence: medium
- Identifiers: [{"value":"55297","system":"EIA plant ID"},{"value":"PJM","system":"ISO/RTO and balancing authority"},{"value":"CONS.CC.COVER1","system":"PJM LMP node"},{"value":"New Covert Generating Station","system":"PJM location designation"},{"value":"1, 1A, 2, 2A, 3, 3A","system":"EIA generator IDs"},{"value":"ER06-1058","system":"FERC tariff docket"},{"value":"ER23-1050-000","system":"FERC interconnection docket"},{"value":"U-2190","system":"Michigan PSC case"}] — Source · confidence: medium
- Official project url: https://www.consumersenergy.com/about-us/electric-generation/natural-gas — Natural Gas Generation | Consumers Energy · confidence: high
- Owner name: Consumers Energy — MBR | Index - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission · confidence: high
- Description: New Covert Generating Facility is an operating natural gas-fired combined-cycle plant in Covert, Van Buren County, Michigan. The facility has 1,176 MW of nameplate capacity and began operating in 2004. Consumers Energy purchased the plant and began operating it as the Covert Generating Station in 2023. — Natural Gas Generation | Consumers Energy · confidence: medium
- Identifiers.5: {"value":"ER06-1058","system":"FERC tariff docket"} — eLibrary | Document Information · confidence: high
- Identifiers.7: {"value":"U-2190","system":"Michigan PSC case"} — Source · confidence: medium
- Parties.0: {"relationship":"Current owner and operator","name":"Consumers Energy","official_url":"https://www.consumersenergy.com"} — CMS Energy Corporation - Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan's Energy Needs · confidence: high
- Parties.1: {"relationship":"Parent company","name":"CMS Energy Corporation","official_url":"https://www.cmsenergy.com"} — Corporate Overview | Consumers Energy · confidence: high
- Parties.2: {"relationship":"Historical owner and FERC tariff party","name":"New Covert Generating Company, LLC","official_url":null} — eLibrary | Document Information · confidence: high
- Commercial operation date: 2004 — Natural Gas Generation | Consumers Energy · confidence: high
- Power mw: 1176 — Natural Gas Generation | Consumers Energy · confidence: high
- Construction scope: The facility is a 1,176-MW natural-gas combined-cycle plant with six operational generating units. The original design comprises three blocks, each using a multi-shaft 1-on-1 configuration. Identified installed equipment includes three Mitsubishi Power M501G gas turbines rated at 245 MW each, three Mitsubishi Power single-reheat axial-flow steam turbines rated at 147 MW each, hydrogen- and air-cooled thyristor-starting electric generators, and Hamon Deltak steam boilers. Counts for the generators and boilers were not stated. — Power plant profile: New Covert Generating Facility, US · confidence: medium
- Construction scope: The facility is a 1,176-MW natural-gas combined-cycle plant with six operational generating units. The original design comprises three blocks, each using a multi-shaft 1-on-1 configuration. Identified installed equipment includes three Mitsubishi Power M501G gas turbines rated at 245 MW each, three Mitsubishi Power single-reheat axial-flow steam turbines rated at 147 MW each, hydrogen- and air-cooled thyristor-starting electric generators, and Hamon Deltak steam boilers. Counts for the generators and boilers were not stated. — Natural Gas Generation | Consumers Energy · confidence: medium
- Product url: https://power.mhi.com/products/gasturbines/lineup/m501g — M501G/GAC Series | Mitsubishi Power · confidence: medium
- Product url: https://power.mhi.com/products/gasturbines/lineup/m501g — Power plant profile: New Covert Generating Facility, US · confidence: medium
- Equipment models: [{"manufacturer_domain":"power.mhi.com","product_url":"https://power.mhi.com/products/gasturbines/lineup/m501g","count":3,"unit_mw":245,"name":"M501G gas turbine"},{"manufacturer_domain":"power.mhi.com","product_url":"https://power.mhi.com/products/steamturbines","count":3,"unit_mw":147,"name":"Single Reheat, Axial Flow steam turbine"},{"manufacturer_domain":"power.mhi.com","product_url":null,"count":null,"unit_mw":null,"name":"Hydrogen & Air Cooled, Thyristor Starting electric generator"},{"manufacturer_domain":null,"product_url":null,"count":null,"unit_mw":null,"name":"Steam boiler (Hamon Deltak)"}] — Product Lineup | Mitsubishi Power · confidence: medium
- Significance: At 1,176 MW, the Covert Generating Station can supply enough electricity for more than 1 million Michigan homes and is identified by Consumers Energy as supporting regional electric reliability. — Natural Gas Generation | Consumers Energy · confidence: high
- Quality notes: ["The exact facility capacity is reported as 1,176 MW in the purchase agreement and Consumers Energy’s generation directory; a June 2023 news release rounded the figure to 1,200 MW.","The 2014–2016 project activity documented in the sources concerned a Segreto substation, transmission line, and transmission-system upgrades for PJM interconnection, rather than an expansion of generating-unit capacity.","The 2018 $555 million refinancing was separate from the $810 million 2023 sale consideration.","No separate retirement or repowering milestone is reported; the documented later infrastructure change is the grid-interconnection work."] — Natural Gas Generation | Consumers Energy · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.0: {"relationship":"Current owner and operator","name":"Consumers Energy Company","detail":"Purchased the facility from New Covert Generating Company, LLC in May 2023 and began operating it as Covert Generating Station on June 1, 2023.","official_url":"https://www.consumersenergy.com"} — Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan’s Energy Needs | Consumers Energy · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.0: {"relationship":"Current owner and operator","name":"Consumers Energy Company","detail":"Purchased the facility from New Covert Generating Company, LLC in May 2023 and began operating it as Covert Generating Station on June 1, 2023.","official_url":"https://www.consumersenergy.com"} — Natural Gas Generation | Consumers Energy · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.1: {"relationship":"Parent company","name":"CMS Energy Corporation","detail":"Consumers Energy is a wholly owned subsidiary of CMS Energy Corporation.","official_url":"https://www.cmsenergy.com"} — Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan’s Energy Needs | Consumers Energy · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.2: {"relationship":"2023 seller and historical owner","name":"New Covert Generating Company, LLC","detail":"Seller under the June 21, 2021 Purchase and Sale Agreement; it historically owned and operated the merchant facility through predecessor ownership structures.","official_url":null} — cms-20230630 · confidence: high
- Commercial parties.6: {"relationship":"Predecessor developer","name":"Pacific Gas & Electric’s National Energy Group","detail":"Identified in historical reporting as the developer of the group of power plants that MACH Gen was created to own, manage, and complete, including the Covert project context.","official_url":null} — Tenaska acquires Covert power plant in Michigan · confidence: medium
- Commercial parties.7: {"relationship":"2018 refinancing arranger, lender, and administrative agent","name":"BNP Paribas","detail":"Represented as arranger, lender, and administrative agent in connection with the $555 million senior secured term-loan and revolving-credit refinancing.","official_url":"https://group.bnpparibas/en"} — Jeffrey Godly | Associate | White & Case LLP · confidence: medium
- Seller: New Covert Generating Company, LLC — cms-20240930 · confidence: high
- Prior owner: New Covert Generating Company, LLC — cms-20240930 · confidence: high
- Acquirer: Consumers Energy Company — Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan’s Energy Needs | Consumers Energy · confidence: high
- Status detail: Consumers Energy began operating the 1,176-MW Covert Generating Station in June 2023 after purchasing it; the plant originally began operating in 2004. Current plant and unit records show the facility operating, with six operational units. — Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan’s Energy Needs | Consumers Energy · confidence: medium
- Grid role: Controllable, reliable generation intended to supply Michigan electricity needs 24/7 and support additional wind and solar resources. — Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan’s Energy Needs | Consumers Energy · confidence: medium
- Operating status: operating — Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan’s Energy Needs | Consumers Energy · confidence: medium

## Timeline

- 2003 — Predecessor development and construction context
  MACH Gen LLC was created to own, manage, and finish four power plants developed by Pacific Gas & Electric’s National Energy Group; the Covert facility was operated through MACH Gen subsidiary New Covert Generating Company.
  Source: Tenaska acquires Covert power plant in Michigan (https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/news/2008/10/14/tenaska-acquires-covert-power-plant/45248365007/)
- 2014-09 — PJM interconnection initiative
  New Covert Generating Company announced plans to directly interconnect the plant with PJM. The initiative included a new Segreto substation, a 345-kV transmission line, and transmission-system upgrades, expected to be completed by spring 2016; the plant’s three independently dispatched blocks then supplied the MISO grid.
  Source: Covert, Michigan, Power Plant Plans Interconnection to PJM Market | Tenaska Capital (https://tenaskacapital.com/covert-michigan-power-plant-plans-interconnection-to-pjm-market/)
- 2018-06-29 — Project refinancing
  A $555 million syndicated loan was committed to refinance the 1,176-MW facility. The structure included a $483.65 million Term Loan A tranche and two letter-of-credit tranches of $41.78 million and $13.22 million, with original final maturity dates of June 29, 2025.
  Source: ICBC contributes $45.28 million USD to the $483.65 million USD Term Loan A tranche of a $555 million USD syndicated loan for the 1,176 MW New Covert Generating Facility 2018 Refinancing Project (Linked to Record ID#105397) | AidData Project (https://china.aiddata.org/projects/105398)
- 2021-06-21 — Purchase and Sale Agreement signed
  Consumers Energy Company, as buyer, signed a purchase and sale agreement with New Covert Generating Company, LLC, as seller, for the facility. The base purchase price was $810 million plus closing-date net working capital.
  Source: CMS ENERGY CORP (Form: 8-K, Received: 06/23/2021 11:16:52) (https://content.edgar-online.com/ExternalLink/EDGAR/0001104659-21-084502.html?hash=09ccec6d6864756e4dec4110174d81e68ed79d4c0e1cf51dad06f2852104644f&dest=tm2120427d1_ex10-1_htm)
- 2023-06-01 — Consumers Energy operation began
  Consumers Energy announced that it was operating the Covert Generating Station in Van Buren County.
  Source: Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan’s Energy Needs | Consumers Energy (https://www.consumersenergy.com/news-releases/news-release-details/2023/06/01/18/03/consumers-energy-starts-operating-covert-power-plant-reliably-meeting-michigans-energy-needs)

## Sources

- [Corporate Overview | Consumers Energy](https://www.consumersenergy.com/company/who-we-are/corporate-overview) — consumersenergy.com · tier other
- [eLibrary | Document Information](https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/docinfo?accession_Number=20090125-0375&sid=3f2fa233-444b-4e87-a5c4-0277499c4be4) — elibrary.ferc.gov · tier regulatory
- [united states of america](https://adms.apps.lara.state.mi.us/Mpsc/ViewFercDocument/124) — adms.apps.lara.state.mi.us · tier other
- [Natural Gas Generation | Consumers Energy](https://www.consumersenergy.com/about-us/electric-generation/natural-gas) — consumersenergy.com · tier other
- [CMS Energy Corporation - Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan's Energy Needs](https://www.cmsenergy.com/investor-relations/news-releases/news-release-details/2023/Consumers-Energy-Starts-Operating-Covert-Power-Plant-Reliably-Meeting-Michigans-Energy-Needs/default.aspx) — cmsenergy.com · tier other
- [MBR | Index](https://mbrweb.ferc.gov/SearchlkpEIA/Index?page=282) — mbrweb.ferc.gov · tier regulatory
- [CMS ENERGY CORP (Form: 8-K, Received: 06/23/2021 11:16:52)](https://content.edgar-online.com/ExternalLink/EDGAR/0001104659-21-084502.html?hash=09ccec6d6864756e4dec4110174d81e68ed79d4c0e1cf51dad06f2852104644f&dest=tm2120427d1_ex10-1_htm) — content.edgar-online.com · tier other
- [Source](https://content.edgar-online.com/ExternalLink/EDGAR/0001104659-21-084502.html?dest=tm2120427d1_ex10-1_htm) — content.edgar-online.com · tier other
- [Power plant profile: New Covert Generating Facility, US](https://www.power-technology.com/data-insights/power-plant-profile-new-covert-generating-facility-us/) — power-technology.com · tier other
- [M501G/GAC Series | Mitsubishi Power](https://power.mhi.com/products/gasturbines/lineup/m501g) — power.mhi.com · tier other
- [Product Lineup | Mitsubishi Power](https://power.mhi.com/products/steamturbines/lineup) — power.mhi.com · tier other
- [Consumers Energy Starts Operating Covert Power Plant, Reliably Meeting Michigan’s Energy Needs | Consumers Energy](https://www.consumersenergy.com/news-releases/news-release-details/2023/06/01/18/03/consumers-energy-starts-operating-covert-power-plant-reliably-meeting-michigans-energy-needs) — consumersenergy.com · tier other
- [Covert, Michigan, Power Plant Plans Interconnection to PJM Market | Tenaska Capital](https://tenaskacapital.com/covert-michigan-power-plant-plans-interconnection-to-pjm-market/) — tenaskacapital.com · tier other
- [ICBC contributes $45.28 million USD to the $483.65 million USD Term Loan A tranche of a $555 million USD syndicated loan for the 1,176 MW New Covert Generating Facility 2018 Refinancing Project (Linked to Record ID#105397) | AidData Project](https://china.aiddata.org/projects/105398) — china.aiddata.org · tier other
- [Jeffrey Godly | Associate | White & Case LLP](https://www.whitecase.com/people/jeffrey-godly) — whitecase.com · tier other
- [Tenaska acquires Covert power plant in Michigan](https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/news/2008/10/14/tenaska-acquires-covert-power-plant/45248365007/) — hollandsentinel.com · tier other
- [cms-20230630](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/201533/000081115623000066/cms-20230630.htm) — sec.gov · tier regulatory
- [cms-20240930](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/201533/000081115624000114/cms-20240930.htm) — sec.gov · tier regulatory
- [cms-20251231](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/811156/000081115626000004/cms-20251231.htm) — sec.gov · tier regulatory
- [Air | Consumers Energy](https://www.consumersenergy.com/about-us/sustainability/environment/air) — consumersenergy.com · tier other
- [Resource Tracker User Guide](https://www.pjm.com/-/media/DotCom/etools/resource-tracker/resource-tracker-user-guide.pdf) — pjm.com · tier other

## Data quality

- The 2014–2016 project activity documented in the sources concerned a Segreto substation, transmission line, and transmission-system upgrades for PJM interconnection, rather than an expansion of generating-unit capacity. No separate retirement or repowering milestone is reported; the documented later infrastructure change is the grid-interconnection work.

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