As the shutdown date for the Palisades nuclear power plant in Van Buren County nears, Governor Gretchen Whitmer is seeking federal funds to keep it open. She sent a letter this week to the U.S. Department of Energy seeking funding from the Civil Nuclear Credit program, which was established with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The fund is aimed at keeping zero emission nuclear power plants headed for closure open. Whitmer writes Palisades is currently in the process of being shut down due to financial distress and is scheduled to cease operation on May 31. She notes the latest guidance from the Civil Nuclear Credit program allows for quick allocation of funds for plants close to being shut down. Whitmer’s letter says Palisades employs about 600 people and generates $363 million in annual economic development, and keeping the plant open is a top priority. She urged the department to allocate funding to create “a new path forward to save Palisades.”
