VAN BUREN, Mich. — The U.S. Department of Energy has released another $47 million to support the reopening of Michigan’s Palisades Nuclear Plant.
It’s the third installment of a $1.5 billion federal loan aimed at restarting the facility, which was shut down in 2022 after more than five decades of service.
Now under the ownership of Holtec International, the Van Buren County plant is expected to generate enough electricity to power around 800,000 homes. Palisades is on track to become the first nuclear plant in the country to restart after being decommissioned.
But the plan is drawing criticism from environmental advocates and Indigenous leaders.
Holtec defends the project, pointing out that Palisades was ranked in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s highest safety category prior to its shutdown.
Kevin Kamps with the nonprofit Beyond Nuclear says the plant’s safety record doesn’t inspire confidence, saying, quote, “A recent analysis by Dave Lochbaum, who is retired from the Nuclear Safety Program at Union of Concerned Scientists, placed Palisades at something like 84th out of 105 reactors in the country. So, his analysis was they’re more like in the bottom rung of the industry, actually.”
The company plans to reopen the plant in October.