This year could be a big year for the status of two nuclear power plants around Lake Michigan.
That includes a shutdown plant just 120 miles east of Kenosha that is seeking a first-of-its-kind restart.
The year could also be significant for extending the life of Wisconsin’s only working commercial plant, located 95 miles north of Milwaukee.
On the west shore of Lake Michigan, NextEra Energy says it still wants a 20-year extension for the two reactors at the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant, located north of Two Rivers, which would keep the site operating until the early 2050s.
If that plan sounds familiar, it’s because WUWM has been reporting on the proposal for about four years. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approval is still pending.
In a written statement this month, Florida-based NextEra said it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Point Beach, “ensuring it’s ready to produce energy for decades to come.” The company says the plant powers nearly 1 million homes and businesses and provides about 14% of Wisconsin’s electricity.
But nuclear power critics, like Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear, say there are concerns that key parts of the power production units are too brittle to last another 20-plus years. He says there’s an alternative.
“Point Beach’s electricity could easily be replaced through the expansion of renewable energy in Wisconsin. It’s ready to go. It would be more effective for the people of Wisconsin. It would certainly be much safer,” Kamps says.
On the east shore of the lake, the Palisades nuclear plant in Covert Township, Michigan, shut down nearly three years ago. But at the urging of some federal, state, and local officials, the Biden administration has provided a $1.5 billion loan to Holtec International, which bought the mothballed plant from the utility Entergy, so Holtec can try to restart Palisades.
Supporters, like U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga of southwest Michigan, want Palisades to be the first U.S. commercial reactor brought back to life. An aide to the Republican lawmaker told a recent public hearing held by federal regulators that Huizenga sees big benefits.
“That it would restore 800 megawatts of reliable, safe, carbon-free energy and hundreds of highly skilled jobs in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, with southwest Michigan rapidly growing,” the aide says.
But some neighbors of the Palisades site are concerned. Ann Scott told federal agencies that Holtec is too inexperienced to run an aging nuclear power plant.
“Why would you ever even consider Holtec giving you any sort of plan to exist in such a difficult situation?” she asks.
A key concern appears to be the damaged steam generator tubes at Palisades, which are likely to need repair or replacement. On Jan. 14, Holtec and the NRC are scheduled to discuss the matter.
The NRC says Holtec will have to prove the plant is safe.
Incoming President Donald Trump has made conflicting statements about nuclear power, so it’s unclear if he will try to get the NRC to favor either of the Lake Michigan plants.
Some utility executives say the way forward is with small modular reactors (SMRs), which are still in the development phase. Some officials hope the smaller units can power things like the large computer data centers popping up in the U.S.
Source: WUWM 89.7
