Michigan is attempting something never done before in America’s nuclear industry

COVERT, MI — Federal regulators are poised to approve a restart of the Palisades Nuclear Plant, putting Michigan at the heart of a national nuclear energy renaissance.

Nuclear power has emerged as a key component in the state’s energy strategy at a time when the federal government under President Donald Trump has become hostile to other sources of carbon-free electricity such as wind and solar.

The push to restart — and expand — nuclear generation at Palisades follows the closure of coal plants across the state which used to provide reliable baseload power.

Here are 6 takeaways from MLive’s reporting on nuclear energy:

1. Michigan in a period of energy transition

Alongside fossil gas, nuclear energy is seen as a solution to replacing baseload power loss from the closure of coal plants.

Michigan has 15 years to reach its legally mandated goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. This comes while energy demand is projected to significantly increase because of the rise of AI systems and the data centers needed to power them.

Low-carbon nuclear energy currently makes up about 25% of Michigan’s electricity sources. Renewable sources account for about 15% of the state’s portfolio but face deployment challenges in rural areas, limitations in providing consistent power and the loss of federal incentives and support under Trump and Republicans in Congress.

Energy experts argue that while renewables are growing, major advances in battery storage or long-range transmission are needed before wind and solar can instantly deliver power during peak demand like nuclear does.

Related: Nuclear is getting a reaction in Michigan

2. Waste accumulates without permanent solution

Unfortunately, nuclear power generates a very hazardous type of waste. Currently, spent nuclear fuel rods are stored in concrete and steel casks on pads near the Great Lakes shorelines.

This is because the federal government failed to establish a permanent repository by the late 1990s. Political disputes collapsed plans for an underground facility in Nevada, leaving all nuclear plants to function as de facto waste repositories.

Thankfully, nuclear experts say that dry cask storage poses minimal risk to the Great Lakes and the communities which rely on them. The casks are designed to withstand tornados and missile strikes, with radiation levels near them being almost zero.

Additionally, the cask pads are positioned at elevations and distances from shorelines that make flooding extremely unlikely, even with water level fluctuations in the Great Lakes.

3. Public opinion is shifting but remains complex

Public opinion on nuclear energy is improving nationally but it remains complex in Michigan, where support for expansion is balanced against local safety and environmental concerns.

The divide has been evident during hearings on the Palisades restart, during which some residents expressed concerns about public safety in the event of a mishap with the reactor, health impacts and spent fuel storage near Lake Michigan. Others emphasized economic benefits such as jobs and the need to meet energy demand without increasing planet-warming emissions.

Related: Palisades owner faces tough questions

4. Nuclear energy is gaining bipartisan support

Nuclear has become a rare political point of agreement in Michigan because of the urgency around climate change and energy demand.

There is a bipartisan nuclear caucus in the state Legislature, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and fellow Democrat lawmakers say carbon-free nuclear energy is essential for meeting Michigan’s climate goals and a mandated 2040 goal of 100% clean energy.

On the other side, Republicans like nuclear energy as a reliable source of large amounts of electricity.

5. The restart of Palisades is unprecedented

Holtec International is attempting something never done before in the American nuclear industry by restarting the closed 800-megawatt Palisades nuclear plant near South Haven.

If successful, Palisades would become the first U.S. nuclear power plant to resume service after beginning the decommissioning process — although it would not be the first U.S. nuclear reactor to come back online after a multi-year shutdown.

The restart effort has secured substantial financial backing, including a $1.52 billion loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Energy and $300 million in state funding after the Whitmer administration threw its support and energy behind the restart.

That money was awarded under the Biden administration, and its disbursement was not held up by Trump.

Since the effort at Palisades began, other closed reactors have begun taking steps to reopen such as Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania.

Related: Ambitious plan creates cheerleaders and critics

6. Small reactors are seen as the future

One of the largest concerns with nuclear energy is its cost. The prohibitive expense and time required to build traditional large-scale nuclear power plants is pushing the industry toward smaller, modular designs.

Small-modular reactors (SMRs) can be built in stages and located at existing reactor sites like Palisades. Holtec International plans to build SMR units to generate an additional 600 megawatts at the Palisades site in Covert Township.

Michigan’s nuclear feasibility study concluded that expanding nuclear generation would be expensive but feasible, providing long-term clean power generation and economic benefits.