A nuclear power plant in West Michigan is currently in the process of coming offline, but there's been some confusion recently on what's going on with the shutdown.
The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission provided an update on the plant's status during a public meeting at Lake Michigan College Thursday.
NRC shows that the last of spent fuel is going to be gone by 2025, but the total radiological decommissioning would be several more years after that date.
"I came out here because I love Lake Michigan and for years and working hard like many here tonight to shut this plant down," Iris Potter said. Potter was one of a few dozen people trying to understand what's next for the plant.
At the meeting, the NRC provided a timeline for the Covert Township plant.
The Post Shutdown Decommissioning Activity Report shows owners Holtec International is working towards that process. The NRC says people might not see major site activity until 2035.
"The plant can be dismantled that means they are emptying systems and de-energizing various electrical components so they can begin dismantling the plant," Special Assistant Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Bruce Watson told FOX17.
According to an independent agency, Entergy, the company that used to own Palisades, produced more than 760 megawatts of power annually.
In 2016, Entergy announced the plan to shut down the decades-old plant, as part of the company's plan to exit the nuclear merchant power business.
Entergy then sold the license to Holtec in December 2021 to take the plant offline in May of this year.
"I think it was a bad decision to turn the plant off in the first place. Do you want the plant back on? I want the plant turner back on," Cal DeMaagd, a community member, said at Thursday's meeting.
Earlier this month FOX17 learned Holtec and Governor Gretchen Whitmer are pushing to restart the plant. A letter sent by the governor states this plant will be protecting 600 jobs and bringing another 1,100 to the area in the process while supporting clean energy in Michigan.
The company did submit a Department of Energy grant for the Civil Nuclear Credit to move forward with the restart process.
"You know there has been sentiment politically to see Palisades be saved. That is something that we said before acquiring when Entergy was still the owner. We would love to see if that is possible. That's what we are doing. We are working to see if that is possible," Holtec International Government Affairs and Communication Pat O'Brien told FOX17.
The NRC says they haven't received any application to turn the lights back on just yet.
"They have to have the license reinstated or have a new license issued. That is true," Watson added.
In the meantime, Holtec is working with a trust worth $552 million of Michigan money to complete the radiological decommission of the plant by 2041.
"Some of that money is reimbursed by the Department of Energy because the department of energy is the one responsible for providing a permeant depository for the site," Watson said.
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