Consumers Energy in Jackson today announced it is partnering with Ashcor USA Inc., a subsidiary of Ashcor Technologies Ltd. in Canada, to extract and repurpose millions of tons of impounded coal ash from the soon-to-be-retired J.H. Campbell Generating Complex in Port Sheldon Township near Holland into a replacement for cement in concrete manufacturing.
“We’re doing the right thing as we make a just transition away from coal as a fuel source for electricity and that includes fulfilling our environmental responsibilities at the Campbell Generating Complex,” says Norm Kapala, vice president of generation operations for Consumers Energy.
“While our focus today is on meeting power needs in a more environmentally sustainable way, we are also committed to removing 60 years of ash deposits that will be beneficially repurposed.”
Ashcor’s patented Reclaimed Ash Management (RAM) technology is expected to transform stored coal ash at the power facility into a high-grade cement replacement material for use in concrete manufacturing. Since global cement manufacturing is responsible for about 8 percent of the world’s total CO2 emissions, the repurposing of coal ash has environmental benefits.
“We’re very pleased that we will be able to reclaim ash from the Campbell Generating Complex, transforming it into a high-quality supplementary cement replacement material,” says John Tiberi, president of Ashcor. “Ultimately, this manufactured ash can substitute up to 30 percent of traditional, carbon-intensive portland cement, making it a more sustainable solution for countless construction projects and concrete applications.
“This will be our third RAM facility, and we are eager to incorporate our operational expertise into a state-of-the-art design, tailored to J.H. Campbell’s site and the market demands of the Great Lakes area.”
Capable of generating nearly 1,500 megawatts of electricity, the Campbell complex ― located on a 2,000-acre site ― began serving Consumers Energy customers in the 1960s. Retiring the complex’s three units in May 2025 is part of the company’s Clean Energy Plan to meet Michigan’s energy needs in the coming decades.
Once Ashcor completes construction of the RAM facility, removal and processing of the ash will begin. Operations are planned to begin on or before Jan. 1, 2027, and the operational life of the project is expected to be about two decades.
The RAM technology is capable of processing harvested comingled bottom ash and fly ash and transforming it into a product that meets technical specifications, according to Ashcor.
The project represents Ashcor’s first foray into coal ash harvesting and beneficiation in the United States. The inaugural U.S. venture underscores the company’s growth strategy and commitment to expanding its presence in the U.S. market.
