Consumers Energy Announces Cross Winds Energy Park Construction Resumes

CARO, Mich., April 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy has resumed construction of its Cross Winds® Energy Park in Tuscola County as warm weather returns to Michigan.

"Consumers Energy and its contractors are committed to building Cross Winds Energy Park in the safest manner possible. Safety is our No. 1 priority. A key part of our commitment to safety is openly communicating about construction activity that residents may encounter," said John Bulloch, project manager for Cross Winds Energy Park for Consumers Energy.

Akron and Columbia Township residents are receiving a "safety alert" postcard from Consumers Energy. The company urges motorists to be alert for construction traffic in these townships and throughout Tuscola County since many construction materials are coming from suppliers located in Michigan's Thumb, southeastern Michigan and other parts of the state.

Following agreements with the Tuscola County Road Commission, the project includes necessary maintenance, repair and upgrades to several area roads needed for transporting wind turbine components and other construction related materials.

Barton Malow of Southfield, Mich. is the lead contractor for the Cross Winds facility, and will focus on construction of access drives, turbine foundations and electrical systems this spring. Wind turbine components are scheduled to arrive at the Cross Winds site by mid-summer.

About 150 construction jobs will be created during Cross Winds construction. The facility will include 62 wind turbines, with a capacity of 105 megawatts when it begins generating renewable energy for Consumers Energy customers, scheduled for late 2014.

Link to map of the Cross Winds Energy Park:  www.crosswindsenergypark.com/Uploadedfiles/Lakewinds/CrossWinds%20Simple%20Map.pdf

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.5 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in Rule 3b-6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Rule 175 of the Securities Act of 1933, and relevant legal decisions. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements should be considered in the context of the risk and other factors detailed from time to time in CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Forward-looking statements should be read in conjunction with "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION" and "RISK FACTORS" sections of CMS Energy's Form 10-K and Consumers Energy's Form 10-K each for the year ended December 31, 2013.

CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's "FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION" and "RISK FACTORS" sections are incorporated herein by reference and discuss important factors that could cause CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's results to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

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SOURCE Consumers Energy