COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — The Palisades Nuclear Plant in Southwest Michigan has cleared a key federal licensing hurdle as it really works to restart.
The approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Fee introduced Thursday implies that Palisades is the primary nuclear plant within the nation to transition from decommissioning standing again to an working license.
Palisades plant reopening on schedule, nonetheless blended public opinions
The working license standing implies that Palisades can begin bringing in gasoline and formally get operators again on shift, plant proprietor Holtec Worldwide stated. The NRC famous the plant nonetheless wants to fulfill extra necessities earlier than it may truly restart.
“This is a proud and historic moment for our team, for Michigan, and for the United States,” Holtec President Kelly Trice stated in a press release. “The NRC’s approval to transition Palisades back to an operating license represents an unprecedented milestone in U.S. nuclear energy. Our mission remains clear: to restart Palisades safely, securely, reliably, and in support of America’s energy future – while supporting local jobs and economic growth for decades to come.”
Holtec has been working to reopen the plant alongside Lake Michigan in Covert Township after it closed in Could 2022 utilizing small modular reactors. Final 12 months, the federal authorities introduced the approval of a $1.5 billion mortgage to again the trouble.
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Holtec says Palisades is on observe to open by the top of the 12 months. On Thursday, it stated “extensive readiness work (is) underway – including rigorous testing, inspections, and maintenance – to ensure a safe and reliable return to service under ongoing independent federal oversight.”
The corporate says when the plant is again on-line, it is going to make sufficient energy for greater than 800,000 households and enhance the reliability of the grid.
Opponents to the restart argue the plant poses a risk to the atmosphere, saying a nuclear catastrophe on the website can be catastrophic to the area and the Nice Lakes.
“The zombie reactor restart scheme is unneeded, insanely expensive for the public, and extremely high risk for health, safety, security, and the environment,” Kevin Kamps of opponent group Past Nuclear stated in a Thursday assertion. “NRC is enabling Holtec to play radioactive Russian roulette on the Lake Michigan shoreline. It is a grand nuclear experiment, and those of us downwind, downstream, up the food chain, and down the generations are the potential guinea pigs.”
