The same Michigan site that just brought a shuttered reactor back online is about to test the next chapter in American nuclear. Holtec plans to build two of its SMR-300 small modular reactors at Palisades, on the Lake Michigan shore in Covert Township, with construction that could start in 2026 and first power around 2030.
Project Scope
The plan pairs two SMR-300 units, pressurized light-water reactors rated near 300 megawatts each, with the recently restarted 800-megawatt Palisades plant next door. Siting the reactors at an operating nuclear station lets Holtec reuse grid connections, cooling water, security, and a trained workforce. The project is part of a federal early-deployment push: the Department of Energy selected Holtec and the Tennessee Valley Authority for up to $800 million in cost-shared funding to advance first units in Michigan and Tennessee.
Why It Matters
Small modular reactors have drawn years of hype and very little steel in the ground. Palisades would be one of the first real U.S. builds, and doing it at an existing nuclear site sidesteps some of the hardest permitting and infrastructure problems. If Holtec hits its schedule, and that’s a real if given how these timelines tend to slip, it becomes a repeatable model for adding firm carbon-free power without greenfielding a whole new plant.
Project Team & Details
| Developer | Holtec International |
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| Owner / Client | Holtec International |
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| Status | Planned |
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| Funding Source | Mixed |
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