COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The shuttered nuclear power plant sitting on the shore of Lake Michigan is another step closer to being restarted, the company now running the facility announced.
Holtec said its team completed passivation of the primary system at the Palisades Nuclear Plant. Passivation is the process of making metal tubes and fittings less reactive and therefore more resistant to the corrosive effects of the nuclear plant's fuel, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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The metal surfaces at Palisades were passivated by bringing the system up to its normal operating temperature and pressure. Crews then used an electrolyte mix to restore the metal's protective properties. It was the first time the system was pressurized since the plant was shut down in 2022.
Next, Holtec will allow the plant to cool down before more tests and maintenance procedures are carried out. Crews are still preparing to load nuclear fuel into the system.
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The company said it has completed inspections of more than 300 pipes and welds, plus the restoration of the main turbine generator.
“The completion of primary system passivation reflects the diligence and technical rigor our team is bringing to position the plant for safe, reliable operation for decades,” said Holtec International President Kelly Trice. “Ensuring long-term safety and reliability remains the central focus of our restart mission, and we continue to execute this work with the care and precision it warrants.”
Palisades is expected to fully restart in 2026.
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The restart of Palisades would be the first of its kind for a major nuclear plant in the U.S. The process has received the support of state and federal officials, including a $1.52 billion loan from the Department of Energy.
Along with restoring the main plant, Holtec is using the campus to build some of the first small modular reactors for use in the U.S. The joint project with Hyundai E&C and Mitsubishi Electric was awarded a $400 million grant. When completed, the two small reactors are expected to provide 680 megawatts of power on top of the more than 800 megawatts generated by Palisades.
The pair of modular reactors are expected to go online sometime in the 2030's, according to Holtec.
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