With this approval, Palisades is one massive step closer to sending nearly 800 MW to the grid again. Holtec International, the plant’s owner, is now authorized to receive new fuel and load it into the plant’s single 777-MWe pressurized water reactor. Now, further inspections, testing, and maintenance remain as some of the final steps before a return to operation.
Quotable: “This is a proud and historic moment for our team, for Michigan, and for the United States,” said Kelly Trice, president of Holtec. “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.”
The timeline: Located in Covert Township, Mich., on the shore of Lake Michigan, the history of Palisades begins nearly six decades ago. Site construction was begun in 1967 by the plant’s original owner, Consumers Energy, and the plant was licensed four years later in 1971.
Palisades was purchased by Entergy in 2006, and the following year it was granted a 20-year license renewal for operation until 2031. But in 2022, Entergy shut down the plant—citing unfavorable market conditions—and sold it to Holtec, who originally had plans to decommission the site.
Bolstered by the prospect of support from the state and federal governments, Holtec decided to pursue a mission to get the plant up and running again. In October 2023, the company formally launched the reauthorization process with the NRC.
A return to power production is slated for later this year. The NRC explained in a July 24 letter officially notifying Holtec of its decision that it is concurrently approving “four license amendment requests related to the resumption of power operations” at Palisades in conjunction with its approval of the license transfer application, indicating that the regulator is focused on clearing roadblocks quickly.
Smaller plans: In its press release, Holtec also mentioned that, looking further down the road, plans are still progressing for the deployment of two 300-MWe SMRs at Palisades. Hyundai Engineering & Construction will partner with Holtec to build two Holtec-designed SMR-300s at the Michigan site in a broader mission to deploy a 10-GW SMR fleet across the United States. Holtec and Hyundai are aiming to start up the Palisades SMRs by 2030.
