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Chronological List of District Heating
Systems in the United States |
District heating in Lansing was begun in 1901 by Alamanzo.A. Piatt and Fred Piatt, who received a contract to heat the state capitol building from their nearby electric light plant. The Piatt Heat and Power Company was incorporated in 1904 and reorganized as the Michigan Power Company in 1906.
The Michigan Power Company was sold to the Lansing Board of Water and Light in 1919, which continues to operate the system.
References
1901 "Heat
From Outside," Lansing State Journal, July 11, 1901, Page 5.
A.A. Piatt's offer to heat the capitol accepted.
1901 "A. A. and Ford Piatt given permission to install steam pipes," Lansing State Journal, August 17, 1905, Page 5.
1905 "Piatt Power & Heat Company," Lansing State Journal, May 9, 1905, Page 30.
1906 "Immense
Enterprise is Launched by the Piatts," Lansing State Journal,
February 2, 1906, Page 1.
The Michigan Power Co. is a reorganization of the Piatt Power & Heat
Co.
1920 "Notice to Steam Heat Customers!" Lansing State Journal, November 27, 1920, Page 2
1937 "The Design and Cost of a Twelve-inch Underground Steam Main," by O.E. Eckert, Proceedings of the National District Heating Association 28:68-83 (May 1937)
1970 "Steam Service in Downtown Lansing," by Roger A. Parsons, District Heating 55(3):10-11 (Winter 1970)
2023 Michigan
Steam Supply Cost Recovery Report, May 3, 2023
Utilities that Provide Steam Service to Customers
DTE Electric Company 1 customer
Detroit Thermal LLC 67 customers
Lansing Board of Water and Light 155 customers
Vicinity Energy Grand Rapids 70 customers
2025 "Data
Center in downtown Lansing: What to know," Lansing State
Journal, December 17, 2025, Page A1 |
Part 2 |
Deep Green plans to loop into BWL's water system to supply free,
carbon-neutral heat, rather than BWL heating water with natural gas to
provide steam heat for downtown buildings.
2026 UK
company wants to build a data center that will heat downtown Lansing,
January 8, 2026
The city-owned utility is planning to convert it to a more-efficient hot
water system.
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© 2026 Morris A. Pierce
Si