Belle River Power Plant

DTE Energy
Detroit Edison
Belle River Power Plant
China Township, MI USA
Certified since: 1996 

The Belle River Power Plant is located on 2,200 acres in St. Clair County, approximately 50 miles northeast of Detroit. In 1981, Detroit Edison, a subsidiary of DTE Energy, agreed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage portions of the Belle River Power Plant as wildlife habitat. The goal was to improve habitat quality on undisturbed portions of the site in order to offset permanent habitat losses due to plant construction. Woods, croplands, residential development and the St. Clair Power Plant currently border the Belle River site. The property itself consists of production areas along with many croplands, woodlots, open fields and ponds. 

Wildlife habitat enhancement opportunities abound at the Belle River Power Plant. Team members focus their efforts on providing habitat for eastern bluebirds and other cavity-nesting birds, increasing the abundance and diversity of plant species to provide additional food and cover sources for wildlife, managing existing croplands for wildlife and supporting wildlife research. Since its last recertification in 2001, DTE Energy Green Team members have constructed and installed purple martin houses on-site. When the East China LLC generating station was constructed on the Belle River Power Plant grounds, the Green Team reviewed landscaping plans with the Township Planning Committee to ensure that the plans included native species and could provide valuable habitat to wildlife. In addition to having habitat certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council since 1996, the Belle River Power Plant received ISO 14001 certification.

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