"We thank Governor Whitmer, the Michigan Legislature..." for Efforts to Restart Palisades NP Plant.

[NNadir]

Palisades restart takes 'giant step' with Holtec-Wolverine deal

Subtitle:

A long-term power purchase agreement signed between Holtec Palisades Energy and the non-profit Wolverine Power Cooperative is described as a "significant milestone" towards restarting the 800 MW Palisades nuclear power plant in the USA.

Under the multi-decade agreement, Wolverine commits to purchasing two-thirds of the power generated from a reopened Palisades, with Wolverine's partner Hoosier Energy purchasing the balance. It also includes a "contract expansion provision" to include one or two small modular reactors that Holtec plans for the site.

Holtec International CEO Kris Singh said: "We are well aware that, although we see no real obstacles ahead, re-powering of a dormant plant such as Palisades would be a feat that has never been achieved before. Hopefully, the Palisades revival would encourage our allies, Germany and Japan, who have many dormant nuclear plants, to adopt a similar course."

"We thank Governor [Gretchen] Whitmer, the Michigan legislature, the US Department of Energy led by Secretary [Jennifer] Granholm, and the people of Michigan whose enthusiasm to render Palisades into a bastion of new clean energy generation has encouraged us to launch the odyssey of restoring Palisades energy generation."

Kelly Trice, President of Holtec Nuclear Generation and Decommissioning, said: "The executed power purchase agreement represents a significant milestone in our journey towards reopening the plant, a historic moment for Michigan and the country. The repowering of Palisades ensures Michigan has sufficient energy to meet future demand and mitigate the impact of climate change, while creating hundreds of high-paying Michigan jobs, expanding the local tax base, and unleashing economic opportunity within the region and beyond."

Wolverine's member rural electric cooperatives supply homes, businesses and schools across more than half of Michigan's lower peninsula. Its power supply is already 60% carbon-free, and it hopes that the Palisades agreement will increase that figure into the future.

Eric Baker, CEO of Wolverine, said: "Ensuring reliable and affordable electricity in Michigan is crucial. The restart of Palisades offers a practical, long-term solution to electric reliability in our state and aligns with Michigan's ambitious goals to reduce carbon emissions..."

There has always been in our party, or at least since the late 1960's, an antinuke wing, but any Democrat who is serious about climate change should support nuclear energy. Governor Whitman and Secretary Granholm are examples of the trend of getting serious about the matter.

I do not necessarily agree, and have not necessarily agreed, with the policies of my party with respect to energy, since I generally oppose so called "renewable energy," but the values of our party toward climate change will necessarily, if we are to have any measurable effect on climate change, calls for rethinking our view of nuclear energy, which is, in fact, the last best hope of the human race.

I am, to note, a lifelong Democrat based on values, not necessarily policy, but in this case, I support the intelligence of this policy, restoring vital infrastructure to address climate change, policy consistent with our values.