The US company Holtec Decommissioning International is actually on the decommissioning of nuclear power plants specialized. Now, however, the company wants to revive a reactor in the US state of Michigan.
Holtec was commissioned in June last year to build the nuclear power plant Palisades mine on the east shore of Lake Michigan. A few weeks earlier, the nuclear power plant was shut down after more than 50 years of operation. The 800-megawatt plant produced about 5 percent of Michigan’s electricity needs.
governess for continued operations
However, with the support of Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Holtec soon launched a campaign to get the nuclear plant working again. Criticism comes from opponents of nuclear power who see the power plant as badly maintained and dangerous describe.
There have been several problems at the nuclear power plant in recent years, including one involving the US nuclear regulatory agency referred to as “one of the worst cases of nuclear fuel canister weakening”. A Problem with a seal 2022 meant that the power plant had to close 2 weeks earlier than planned.
Funding for the extension of Akw
Holtec states that the 6 billion dollars Heavy federal funding to extend older nuclear facilities prompted them to rethink Palisades. The grant is part of President’s new infrastructure bill Joe Biden.
The Department of Energy did not do so until last fall $1.1 billion for saving the nuclear power plant Diablo Canyon in California, which is scheduled to close in 2024 and 2025. For Palisades, however, this funding was out of the question because it only applies to power plants that are still running.
Instead, the company applies around 1 billion dollars on federal loans under another program that “is more appropriate,” said Sprecher Patrick O’Brien. In addition, Holtec demands 300 million dollars from the state. For comparison: Holtec gave the costs for the dismantling of the power plant $633 million to last 19 years.
Revival would be “massive challenge”
The plan for a revival would be a “massive challenge”, according to the nuclear power professor Jacob Good morning opposite of Associated Press indicates. The company should have the entire Personal rehire and train again, inspect thousands of parts and replace as necessary. Also must Career be ordered. The radioactive fuel had already been removed from the reactor core. This was necessary to notify the authorities of the “permanent cessation of operations to generate electricity”.
Palisades’ license does not currently allow the reactor to operate. Therefore, the approval of the US nuclear regulatory authority is required to put it back into service. Holtec hopes that this will be the case October to get, the restart should then take “a few years”. If successful, it would be the first restart of a decommissioned nuclear power plant in the United States.
