The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has held a series of public meetings near the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant since April to discuss its potential restart, with the most recent meeting held just last week.
Entergy, the previous owner, ceased operations at Palisades on May 20, 2022, and relinquished the operating license by June 13, 2022. Holtec International acquired the plant on June 28, 2022, initially for decommissioning. However, by July 2022, Holtec applied for federal funds to restart the facility, a move supported by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has pledged $1.5 billion, and the State of Michigan has granted $300 million towards this restart plan. Holtec seeks additional funding, totaling over $15.7 billion, for the restart and other projects.
Upon announcement of the $1.5B government funding, Governor Whitmer stated, “Palisades is coming back. Thanks to an effective collaboration between the Biden-Harris Administration, the State of Michigan, the Michigan Legislature, and Holtec, work will begin shortly to restart operations at Palisades. Once complete, Palisades will become the first successfully restarted nuclear power plant in American history, protecting 600 union jobs at the plant, 1,100 in the community, and access to clean, reliable power for 800,000 homes. We will lead and build the future here in Michigan with our 100% clean energy by 2040 standard, the strongest clean energy labor standards in the nation, and tools to build more renewable energy faster. Let’s keep getting it done.”
Holtec has submitted multiple requests to the NRC, including a License Transfer, an "Exemption" Request, and several License Amendment Requests (LARs), aiming for a restart by August 2025. These requests are under review, with Federal Register Notices (FRNs) expected soon, which will initiate a 60-day period for public interventions. Beyond the planned restart, Holtec intends to build two SMR-300 reactor units on the site, aiming to nearly double Michigan's carbon-free generation capacity. The company targets filing Combined Operating Licenses (COLs) for these reactors by 2026 and hopes to bring them online by 2030.
During the public meetings, in-person attendees were prioritized for comments and questions, with participation also available via webinar and teleconference. An environmental coalition, including Beyond Nuclear and Don't Waste Michigan, has committed to challenging Holtec's plans. They have already filed objections to the "Exemption" Request and plan to contest other LARs.
Public meetings took place on April 17, July 11, and most recently on August 1. Both supporters and opponents of the restart presented their views. Supporters argue that the plant was safe at shutdown and that the NRC would ensure safety upon resumption. They highlighted benefits such as tax revenue, job growth, support for Michigan's carbon-free goals, and reliable energy.
Opponents raised concerns about nuclear waste, aging infrastructure, potential tritium releases, historical equipment issues, environmental impact, and the costs of repairs. They also criticized the use of public funds and questioned Holtec's experience as a plant operator.
The environmental coalition has expressed strong opposition to the proposed restart, citing numerous safety and environmental concerns. Kevin Kamps, a radioactive waste specialist at Beyond Nuclear, highlighted issues such as the reactor's age, embrittled pressure vessel, outdated steam generators, and inadequate safety maintenance since the shutdown. The coalition fears that restarting Palisades could lead to severe accidents, reminiscent of past nuclear disasters.
"Palisades has a long list of pathways to reactor core meltdown. These include the worst neutron-embrittled reactor pressure vessel in the country and perhaps the world, steam generators and a reactor vessel closure head that have urgently needed replacement for two decades, sumps and strainers that are so small they would clog in an emergency blocking vital coolant water flow, fire risks that have gone unaddressed, and the worst Control Rod Drive Mechanism seal leakage problem in industry, dating back to 1972. Some of these already severe problems have actually gotten worse since shutdown for lack of active safety maintenance, a reflection of Holtec's inexperience and incompetence -- it has never operated any reactor, let alone one as age-degraded and high-risk as Palisades. Despite all this, Holtec has no plans to fix any of these problems. After all, NRC is not requiring it."
In 2012, an independent investigation by the Japanese Parliament into the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster concluded that collusion between the safety regulator, industry, and government officials was the root cause. According to Kamps, a similar collusion is becoming evident at Palisades, putting the plant and surrounding environment and communities at significant risk.
The debate over Palisades' future underscores the broader national discussion on the role of nuclear energy in the transition to low-carbon electricity. As the NRC continues its review process, the outcome of Palisades' restart efforts will be closely monitored by stakeholders across the industry and public sectors.
