Public hearing on Palisades restart being held October 1

September 27, 2024, 1:00PMNuclear News
Palisades nuclear power plant in Covert, Mich. (Photo: Entergy)

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is holding a virtual public hearing on Tuesday, October 1, to provide information and take comments on the proposed reissuance of a surface water permit for Palisades nuclear plant in Covert, Mich.

The proposed reissuance of the facility’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Individual Permit (NPDES IP No. MI0001457) and other documents related to Palisades’ proposed restart can be viewed here. Hard copies of the materials can be requested by contacting Joshua Allison at AllisonJ6@michigan.gov or 517/243-7260.

Background: Palisades nuclear power plant was shut down in May 2022 and was acquired by Holtec shortly after. In October 2023, Holtec submitted an operating licensing application for Palisades to the NRC with the intention of seeking financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy to restore the facility’s commercial operations. In parallel, Holtec is also seeking a subsequent license renewal that would allow Palisades to operate until at least 2051.

In August, the DOE approved a $1.5 billion loan guarantee for Palisades to support initial restart activities, including general restoration and maintenance.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is still reviewing Holtec’s license request for Palisades. If approved by all agencies involved, Palisades would be the first U.S. nuclear plant to restart after shutdown.

Want to attend? The October 1 hearing will be held via Zoom and is scheduled for 6:00–7:00 p.m. (EDT), but will continue past the hour mark to address any remaining questions and comments.

A short information session will be held as part of the hearing prior to taking comments.

Register for the event here.


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