Michigan lawmakers call for repowering of Palisades Nuclear Power Plant

VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. (WNDU) - Lawmakers in Michigan are supporting a plan to repower a nuclear power plant in southwestern Michigan.

Members of the state’s bipartisan Nuclear Caucus sent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer a letter. In it, they say the repowering of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Van Buren County “would immediately provide safe, carbon-free, and reliable energy to a grid that desperately needs more baseload generation.”

The plant was permanently shut down in May 2022 after generating nuclear energy for more than 50 years. According to the letter, the plant provided over 800-megawatts of electricity at full capacity, which powered over half a million Michigan homes. Meanwhile, it employed more than 600 people.

The plant was sold in June 2022 to Holtec International, which began decommissioning the site shortly after acquiring it.

Whitmer has requested federal funding to keep the facility open. According to our reporting partners at The Herald-Palladium, Holtec expects to know by July whether it will receive funding to restart the plant.

In response to the letter, Holtec thanked the governor and the lawmakers for their support.

Among the lawmakers signing the letter of support are several local representatives here in Michiana:

• Senator Sean McCann (Kalamazoo) – Senate Energy and Environment Committee Chair; Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair
• Senator Dan Lauwers (Brockway Township) – Senate Energy and Environment Committee Minority Vice Chair
• Representative Helena Scott (Detroit) – House Energy, Communications, and Technology Committee Chair
• Representative Joey Andrews (St. Joseph) – House Energy, Communications, and Technology Committee Vice Chair
• Representative Pauline Wendzel (Watervliet) – House Energy, Communications, and Technology Committee Minority Vice Chair
• Representative Graham Filler (Clinton County) – Nuclear Caucus Co-Chair
• Representative Jaime Greene (Richmond) – House Energy, Communications, and Technology Committee member
• Representative Tom Kunse (Clare) – House Ethics and Oversight Committee Vice Chair
• Representative Mike McFall (Hazel Park) – House Energy, Communications, and Technology Committee member
• Representative Luke Meerman (Coopersville) – House Appropriations Committee
• Representative Pat Outman (Six Lakes) – House Energy, Communications, and Technology Committee member
• Representative Bill G. Schuette (Midland) – House Appropriations Committee member
• Representative Kathy Schmaltz (Jackson) – House Energy, Communications, and Technology Committee member
• Representative Bradley Slagh (Zeeland) – House Appropriations Committee member
• Representative Douglas Wozniak (Shelby Township) – Nuclear Caucus House member

You can read the letter in its entirety below:

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