The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Holtec International held a meeting this week to discuss some of the technical aspects of Holtec’s plan to restart the Palisades nuclear power plant in Van Buren County.
The NRC’s Viktoria Mitlyng tells us there are a lot of technical questions Holtec will have to answer as part of the effort to restart a nuclear plant that has already begun decommissioning.
Since this is the first time that’s ever been done, the NRC has a lot of questions. Mitlyng says the company has to address everything from quality assurance to operations with the old reactor that Holtec wants to restart.
The question of the small modular reactors Holtec plans to add to the site was not discussed.
Mitlyng says the meeting was really for Holtec to learn from the NRC just what it expects.
Holtec spokesperson Nicholas Culp tells us the “meeting and forthcoming submittal are the latest in a series with NRC staff in our effort to reauthorize power operations at Palisades.” Mitlyng told us there will be many more such meetings. It’s just one more hurdle Holtec has to clear as it seeks to bring Palisades back to life.
