The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impacts for Holtec’s request to return the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan to an operational status.
The report contains the NRC staff’s evaluation and conclusion that there are no significant environmental impacts from restarting Palisades, located in Covert, Michigan.
The NRC, as the lead federal agency, conducted an environmental review with the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office as a cooperating agency. Palisades permanently ceased operations in May 2022.
Starting in late 2023, Holtec filed several licensing requests that, if approved, could return the plant to operational status.
The environmental review covered the scope of those licensing requests, considering new and significant information developed since the NRC’s October 2006 review for Palisades’ license renewal.
DOE Approves Third Loan Disbursement to Reopen Palisades Nuclear Plant
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright on April 22 announced the release of the third loan disbursement to Holtec for the reopening of the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Michigan.
The action releases $46,709,358 of the up to $1.52 billion loan guarantee to Holtec for the Palisades Nuclear Plant, which will provide 800-MW of baseload power in Michigan when completed.
The Palisades Nuclear Plant will be America’s first restart of a commercial nuclear reactor that ceased operations, subject to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing approvals.
This disbursement marks Holtec’s third disbursement of funds from the Loan Programs Office since the announcement of its financial loan close in September 2024.
