Michigan House, Senate send letter to Gov. Whitmer about Palisades Nuclear Power Plant - WWMT-TV
Michigan House, Senate send letter to Gov. Whitmer about Palisades Nuclear Power Plant | WWMT
A bipartisan letter from Michigan House and Senate members was sent to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in support of the repowering of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Michigan, according to Holtec.
Plant owner Holtec is seeking funding through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Program Office to support the repowering, which requires a financial commitment by the State of Michigan, a Holtec spokesperson said.
The letter signatories are members of the legislature’s recently formed bipartisan nuclear caucus.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has been pushing for Palisades to reopen, despite safety and environmental concerns neighbors have about the 52-year-old facility.
Activists who long criticized Palisades as poorly maintained and dangerous don't want it resurrected.
They note its years of mechanical problems, including what the Nuclear Regulatory Commission described as among the nation's worst cases of nuclear fuel container weakening. A degrading seal on a device controlling the atomic reaction led Entergy to close the plant nearly two weeks earlier than planned in May 2022.
Letter signatories include:
Rep. Timmy Beson, a Republican, and Rep. Sharon MacDonell, a Democrat, also added their support.
The letter is co-led by Democratic and Republican leaders of the Michigan House Committee on Energy, Communications, and Technology: Majority Vice Chair Rep. Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph) and Minority Vice Chair Rep. Pauline Wendzel (R-Watervliet), both represent the plant community and a large share of its workforce, according to Holtec.
The letter is also signed by other legislative leaders, including Michigan Senate Energy and Environment Committee Chair Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo), Minority Vice Chair Sen. Dan Lauwers (R-Brockway Township), and Michigan House Energy Committee Chair Rep. Helena Scott (D-Detroit), according to Holtec.