Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced her support for a plan by Holtec International that could keep the Palisades nuclear power plant open. The facility in Covert shut down in May, and Holtec is responsible for its decommissioning. The governor’s office on Friday announced she has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy in support of Holtec International’s application for a federal grant under the Civil Nuclear Credit program. That program was established to avoid premature retirements of reactors due to financial hardship, and Whitmer says Palisades is a textbook example. Holtec International applied for a CNC credit on July 5 to help them keep Palisades open. In a statement, the company tells us, “This application could potentially reactivate the facility to help bridge energy needs until next generation technology…are licensed and ready to deploy.” It goes on to say there will be many hurdles, but it will work with the state. The governor says keeping Palisades open “is critical for Michigan’s competitiveness and future economic development.” She adds if Holtec gets approval, the state will help facilitate a power purchase agreement.
