Consumers Energy Urges Safe Driving As Wind Park Parts Arrive In Michigan, Heading To The Thumb

$255 Million Cross Winds® Energy Park Creating 150 Construction Jobs

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Jun 16, 2014, 06:00 ET

CARO, Mich., June 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Construction of Consumers Energy's second wind park is underway and the company is urging safe driving as large equipment is transported on Michigan highways.

Billboards promoting safe driving are in place in southeast and southwest Michigan, the entry points for delivery of wind turbine generators, 165-foot turbine blades and Michigan-made turbine towers.

"Consumers Energy and its contractors are committed to building Cross Winds® Energy Park in the safest manner possible. A key part of our commitment to safety is openly communicating about construction activity that Michigan residents may encounter," said John Bulloch, project manager for Cross Winds Energy Park for Consumers Energy.

The $255 million wind park is being constructed by approximately 150 workers, in Akron and Columbia townships in Tuscola County.

Barton Malow of Southfield, Mich. is the lead contractor for the Cross Winds facility, and has completed nearly all access drives and more than one-half of the project turbine foundations. Separately, Consumers Energy has retained Duke Energy Renewable Services to provide operations and maintenance services for Cross Winds, as it does for the now-operating Lake Winds® Energy Park in Mason County.

In agreement 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.

The plans for Cross Winds include 62 wind turbines, with a capacity of 105 megawatts when it begins generating renewable energy for Consumers Energy customers in late 2014.

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.

Media toolkit

ONLINE: Project information about Cross Winds Energy Park: www.crosswindsenergypark.com/

MAP: See the park's layout: www.crosswindsenergypark.com/Uploadedfiles/Lakewinds/CrossWinds%20Simple%20Map.pdf

For more information regarding Consumers Energy, visit us at: www.consumersenergy.com or join us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/consumersenergymichigan

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 and as updated by in CMS Energy's and Consumers Energy's Forms 10-Q.

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.

SOURCE Consumers Energy