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Genesee Power Station (CMS Energy)
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Worker dies in industrial accident at Genesee Township electric plant
Updated Jun 18, 3:50 PM; Posted Jun 18, 3:50 PM
By Roberto Acosta
racosta1@mlive.com
GENESEE TWP, MI -- A 25-year-old Richfield Township man died following an industrial accident at a Genesee Township electric plant.
Officers with the Genesee Township Police Department were called out around 8:30 a.m. June 14 to the Genesee Power Station, 5310 N. Dort Hwy., for an accident.
Genesee Township police Chief John Mullaly said an employee, identified as Travis Wilson, was working on a 10-inch pipe with a metal cap connected to a water line.
"As he was unbolting it, the end cap struck him in the head," said Mullaly. Wilson was pronounced dead at the scene.
The energy plant that began commercial operations in 1995 is owned by CMS Energy, the parent company of Consumers Energy, and burns biomass material such as construction debris and spools.
Electricity generated at the plant is sold to Consumers Energy and is enough to power approximately 40,000 homes, according to figures provided by CMS Energy on its website.
Roger Morgenstern, senior public information officer for Consumers Energy, said grief counselors are being provided for those at the plant who worked alongside Wilson.
"On behalf of our colleagues at Genesee Power Station and CMS Energy, we are deeply saddened by June 14's fatal incident involving a power station co-worker," he commented. "Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the employee's family and friends."
The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been contacted to investigate the incident, which is typical protocol in case of an industrial accident, Morgenstern said.
Mullaly expects no criminal charges as there appears to be no criminal intent or criminal negligence.
The incident remains under investigation.
CMS Energy
Corporation’s business strategy is focused primarily on its principal
subsidiary, Consumers Energy Company, Michigan’s largest electric and
natural gas utility, serving 6.7 million of the state’s 10 million
residents. With our subsidiary, CMS Enterprises Company, we are also
engaged in independent power generation in several states. Our business
also includes EnerBank® USA, which specializes in providing
unsecured home improvement payment option programs for homeowners
through nationwide dealer networks.
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GENESEE TOWNSHIP (WJRT)
(6/18/2018) -
25-year-old Travis Wilson, of Richifeld Township, was
killed on the job inside the Genesee Power Station last Thursday,
Genesee Township Police Chief John Mullaly said Wilson was working on the pipe when the end cap came off and hit him in the head, killing him instantly.
"It was supposed to be un-pressurized; but apparently, there was some confusion whether it was pressurized or not and because of that, the pipe end came off and hit him in the head," the Chief explained.
The incident happened around 8:30 Thursday morning inside the Genesee Power Station, located at Carpenter Road and Dort Highway.
Chief Mullaly said the 30-pound cap was made of iron and it was about 10 inches in diameter.
He added it's not clear if the crew was taking the pipe out or putting it back in place.
Wilson was the only worker injured.
His family is heartbroken by his passing. They said Travis always had a smile on his face. And, he loved to be outdoors, especially to go fishing or hunting.
"It's devastating to the families, you know, 25-years-old to lose your life like that in an industrial accident, you know, you lose it in a car accident and other things; but it's kind of hard thinking that your work place should be the place you come home from," the Chief said.
Genesee Township Police has turned the investigation over to MIOSHA who the Chief said will determine if anyone was negligent and if the procedures were correct.
CMS Energy, which owns the Station, is offering grief counseling to Wilson's coworkers. They'll also be conducting their own internal investigation.
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GENESEE POWER STATION
ABOUT GENESEE POWER STATION 
Genesee Power Station can produce up to 38 MW of renewable energy – enough to power 28,000 average homes. It directly employs 33 people in its operations and more than 75 other full-time jobs related to handling, processing and transporting of the tons of wood waste the plant sources each year from local suppliers. The plant went into commercial operations in 1995.
Genesee Power Station is owned by a partnership that includes Michigan-based CMS Enterprises and New York-based Fortistar.
Jobs at the plant include dozer operators, technicians and control room operators, maintenance, management and administrative personnel.
Genesee Power Station sells its power to Consumers Energy and is a significant source of renewable power. It provides a local market for low-value wood fiber, such as storm clean up, landscaping debris, right-of-way maintenance and land clearing. It also diverts broken crates, pallets and similar clean wood from landfills and processes it into useable biomass fuel.
Like many of Michigan's biomass plants, Genesee Power Station blends a small amount of tire-derived fuel (TDF) into the wood fuel, which improves plant performance, reduces air emissions and ash, and helps resolve the problem of what to do with scrap tires that are banned from Michigan's landfills. All the TDF used at the plant is regulated under the Michigan Scrap Tire Management Program and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
Genesee Power Station is an important part of the Flint community, and other areas in southeastern Michigan where it collects its fuel. It provides jobs and a market for producers of wood wastes and byproducts. It supports the community through the payment s of significant property taxes and the goods and services it buys from local businesses. Genesee also supports programs at the nearby elementary school as well as each year awarding five local high school graduates with college scholarships.
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