Shuttered nuclear plant in Michigan comes a step closer to reopening

I don't like the idea that a decommissioned nuclear energy plant that had problems is getting sold and restarted. Sounds like a disaster waiting to get me downwind with some fallout, Chernobyl in West Michigan if this doesn't work out well.

Shuttered nuclear plant in Michigan comes a step closer to reopening following new purchase agreement.
The Palisades facility in MI could become the 1st previously shuttered nuclear plant to generate power.
Associated Press

. . . If it begins generating power again, Palisades would be the first shuttered nuclear power plant to do so.

Holtec bought the former Palisades Nuclear Generating Station in Covert Township in June 2022 for the stated purpose of dismantling the plant after previous owner Entergy shut it down weeks earlier. Fuel was removed from the reactor core and federal regulators were notified of "permanent cessation of power operations."

. . . But with support from Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and leaders in the Lake Michigan community where Palisades was a key economic player for 50 years, Holtec began a campaign to bring back the 800-megawatt plant.

. . . Critic Kevin Kamps, a radioactive waste specialist for an anti-nuclear power group called Beyond Nuclear, called the agreement "madness" given the plant's history of mechanical problems.

Michigan lawmakers included $150 million toward the restart in the recently passed $81.7 billion state budget.

- Fox News First

www.foxnews.com...

The Cordova plant in Illinois should be shut down also. www.constellationenergy.com...

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Do they plan on renovating and updating it, or just turning it back on?

Of course she supports it.

I'm with you, I don't think this is going to go well, unless they are planning to spend serious money on repairs and upgrades.

And of course they threw money at it. I wonder how that will really be spent?

At Least Rickymouse might be safe.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

What exactly are mechanical problems?

a reply to: watchitburn

I just visited the website of the corp. that bought the plant, holtecinternational.com, (not a link) and it looks like they are capable of decommissioning the facility, but they apparently also have updated modular air-cooling systems, as well as water cooling systems, and appear quite capable of re-fitting a power plant. My best guess is they will be updating the plant with some new equipment/tech. Hopefully it all works out? I'm not a huge fan of the idea and hopefully it does not end in disaster.

I'm about 5 miles away and know lots of people that worked there. It's at least 5 years away from restarting. Fuel takes 2 years then all the upgrades to and look for people. The guy that actually was in charge of the reactor hasn't been officially contacted yet but he wants $1000 a day for consulting and they really have no choice.

Bets are it'll never open.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

originally posted by: mikell
I'm about 5 miles away and know lots of people that worked there. It's at least 5 years away from restarting. Fuel takes 2 years then all the upgrades to and look for people. The guy that actually was in charge of the reactor hasn't been officially contacted yet but he wants $1000 a day for consulting and they really have no choice.

Bets are it'll never open.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

A pipe dream by Whitmer and the Dems? I can only hope it is only a carbon free money pit that eventually gets shutdown for good.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

What exactly are mechanical problems?

Decommissioning Originally planned to operate through May 31, 2022, concerns over a faulty control rod drive seal prompted operators to remove the plant from service on May 20.[22] Once all fuel is removed from the reactor core, Holtec will buy the plant from Entergy and begin a three year process of moving all fuel to dry cask storage. Then a ten year pause to allow the decommissioning trust fund balance to grow followed by a 6 year long dismantling process, with an estimated completion date of 2041.[23] The cost of decommissioning will be covered by a $550-million trust fund, paid for by Consumers Energy customers.[24]

en.wikipedia.org...

There were more things of course . . .

Palisades Nuclear Plant: A timeline of events

www.mlive.com...

Well, at least the potential buyer is local, unlike the last company that had no local www.michigancapitolconfidential.com...

Now Palisades has a buyer for up to two-thirds of the energy it will produce. That buyer is Wolverine Power Cooperative, a nonprofit that serves rural Michigan. A partner of Wolverine Power, Hoosier Energy, will buy the rest.

“[A]lthough we see no real obstacles ahead, re-powering of a dormant plant such as Palisades would be a feat that has never been achieved before,” said Dr. Kris Singh, CEO of plant owner Holtec International, in a statement.

And it looks like repowering has never been done before...not a real confidence builder.

Looks like another development....

Company approved to decommission Palisades nuclear plant now considering small reactor there

Holtec International is in discussions with federal regulators about constructing a small modular nuclear reactor at the closed Palisades Nuclear Plant on Lake Michigan.

An online meeting on Wednesday consisted primarily of Holtec officials asking the Nuclear Regulatory Commission about how to proceed with the permits to construct a reactor designed to generate160 megawatts. That’s enough power for more than 100,000 homes.

....
Holtec originally took over Palisades to decommission the plant. Then it floated the idea of restarting the aging nuclear reactor.

Holtec interested in building SMR at Palisades nuclear site

Holtec’s SMR-160 is a pressurized light-water reactor, generating 160 MWe/525 MWt using low-enriched uranium fuel, which could also produce process heat for industrial applications and hydrogen production.

It’s unclear how many SMR units Holtec plans to pursue at the Palisades site.

.....
Holtec is targeting the end of the decade for SMR deployment.

and the last sentence makes it look like they want to also reopen the old reactor....

In September Holtec and Wolverine Power Cooperative announced the signing of a long-term power purchase agreement that would allow the restart of the 800 MW plant.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Me and my Dad used to catch so many Coho Salmon trolling through the warm water discharged from Palisade nuclear plant into Lake Michigan during March and April. Limit of fish in less than 2 hours and then back home to clean/cook/eat them.

Thanks for resurfacing those good memories!