Electric 

If you have an Electrical Emergency, please call 269-781-8631.

The mission of the City of Marshall Electric Department is to provide safe, reliable, and competitively priced electric service tailored to the unique needs of our community.  

The Marshall Municipal Electric Department was established in 1892 with the City's acquisition of the privately-owned Kalamazoo River Perrin mill site on South Marshall Avenue. Here, the city constructed a hydroelectric generating facility that still services the community today.  

The Electric Department consists of a Director of Electric Utilities, an Assistant to the Electric Director, (6) Journeyman Line Workers, (2) Apprentice Line Workers, (4) Power Plant Operators and (3) Metering Staff. 

Marshall provides service to an average of 3885 residential and 688 light industrial and commercial customers.  In addition, the Department operates and maintains approximately 1,400 street and security lights thought its service area. 

Marshall's power supply portfolio consists of diverse generating assets and short-term and long-term power purchases designed to provide reliable service with stable, competitive costs.  These assets include the Marshall Power Plant's three natural gas/diesel reciprocating engines and generators, and two hydrogeneration units.  In addition to serving as backup for critical city electric customers, the local generating units provide capacity, energy and Renewable Energy Certificates/Credits (RECs) that help offset power supply expenses.  Long-term generating assets include the coal-fired Prairie State Energy Campus in IL, the natural gas-fired AMP Fremont Energy Center in Fremont, OH; five AMP hydroelectric plants on the Ohio River, and the Menominee Hydro (Menominee, MI) and Octono Hydro (Green Bay, WI) plants.  Approximately 24% of the City's power supply requirements are severed from renewable energy resources. 

Competitive rates, safety and reliability are prime areas of the Electric Department's focus.  Capital Improvement planning coupled with reinvestment in electric infrastructure helps ensure these primary goals are achieved.  Proactive maintenance programs including line clearance (tree trimming), wooden pole testing, meter testing, monthly generating unit tests and many others are designed to help avoid unscheduled service interruptions.  Electric Distribution and Power Plant staff are available on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week basis to restore service in the event of an unscheduled interruption. 

The Electric Department is a member of a number of power supply and electric utility trade associations including the Michigan Municipal Electric Association (MMEA); the Michigan Public Power Agency (MPPA); American Municipal Power (AMP); the American Public Power Association (APPA); and the Michigan South Central Power Agency (MSCPA).   These associations allow the City of Marshall to take advantage of economies of scale in power supply arrangements and in addressing state and federal regulatory issues and policies that would not otherwise be available to the City acting alone.