The Largest Battery in Michigan

When you think of a battery, what comes to mind? Flashlight batteries, double A, triple A, whatever...so when you try to imagine the largest battery in Michigan, you may imagine something completely different from what it is.

The Ludington Pumped Storage Plant is a 27 billion gallon reservoir, 2 ½ miles long and one mile wide.

Owned by Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison, turbines pump water from Lake Michigan into the reservoir during the night, when the demand for power is at its lowest. In daytime, the water flows back down, turning the turbines that supply the power, producing “carbon-free, emission-free, clean, pure Michigan power”.

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For those concerned about the local wildlife, a 2 ½ mile barrier is installed every spring to keep out the fish. There are plenty of birds that have made the 'battery' their home and deer walk around the area like it's no big deal.

FAST FACTS:
Construction began in 1969
Construction completed in 1973
Covers 842 acres
Generates up to 2,172 megawatts of electricity
Has the six largest motors in the world each with 500,000 horsepower
Largest battery in Michigan, fourth largest battery in the world
Located at 3525 Lakeshore Drive (off Old 31),
Ludington Named one of Michigan’s Top 10 civil engineering projects of the 1900s

Driving by the reservoir, you really can't see anything except what looks like either a landfill or a big long hill...and you know there is something on the other side but not sure what it is. But for the curious, there is an observation deck to climb and see the whole operation...and what a view it is!

The deck welcomes visitors from Memorial Day thru Labor Day.