US firm plans 10 GW nuclear power from small reactors at retired Palisades energy site
A Florida-based energy firm has planned to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Palisades nuclear plant site in Michigan by 2030. Holtec International, in collaboration with Hyundai Engineering & Construction, also plans to build a 10-gigawatt fleet of SMR-300s in North America through the 2030s.
The company’s “Mission 2030” program plans to build America’s first small modular reactors – Holtec’s SMR-300 – at the Palisades site in Covert Township, Michigan, with a target of 2030 for first commercial operation.
The new SMR-300s will be co-located with the existing 800-megawatt Palisades plant, which is on track to restart after an extended outage following shutdown in 2022.
Restarting decommissioned 800 MW Palisades nuclear plant
Holtec is restarting the decommissioned 800 MW Palisades nuclear power plant and plans to install two of its SMR-300 reactor units, based on existing light water reactor (LWR) technology, at the same facility, reported Reuters.
The company has maintained that the cost of deploying SMRs at Palisades will be lower than on sites with no atomic presence.
“We are pleased to report that the restart of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Covert Township, Michigan, continues to advance, with several recently achieved milestones reinforcing confidence in the facility’s near-term return to service,” said Holtec in a statement.
“From hands-on maintenance and training areas to regulatory approvals and self-governing industry association assessments, the scope and pace of activities reflect the diligence and dedication of more than a thousand nuclear energy professionals across the site as well as those based remotely around the country engaged in bringing the plant online.”
Major growth potential for SMRs in Mountain West region
Patrick O’Brien, Holtec International’s director of Government Affairs and Communications, told Reuters Events that the company could also site up to four SMR units at the Oyster Creek nuclear power site in New Jersey, where the company plans to decommission a shuttered 625 MW boiling water reactor by 2029.
The company also earlier highlighted that it sees major growth potential for SMRs in the Mountain West region. A 4 GW fleet of SMR-300s could be deployed, mainly in Utah and Wyoming in the 2030s, supported by ongoing testing at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and recently passed legislation supporting nuclear power development in Utah.
The energy firm’s SMR-300 is an advanced, passively safe, pressurized light water nuclear power plant, each unit designed to produce 300 megawatts of clean, reliable energy – enough to power 300,000 homes. As an advanced Generation 3+ reactor, it uses gravity as the motive force to run its safety systems earning the “walk-away safe” designation.
With the ability to build SMR-300 plants, service them throughout their operational life, safely manage the spent fuel, and decommissioning them at the end of life, Holtec – an American company with an international footprint – is uniquely positioned to compete in the world market against state-backed reactor vendors.
The Palisades SMR-300 project will serve as the global reference point for deploying this next-generation nuclear technology, unlocking opportunities worldwide and advancing U.S. leadership in clean energy innovation, according to the company.