Entergy shuts down the 800 MW Palisades nuclear plant (United States)

Entergy has permanently shut down the 800 MW Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan (United States). The power plant began commercial operation in 1971 and was acquired by Entergy in 2007 from Consumers Energy; it operated under the framework of a 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) that expired in the spring of 2022. Following the removal of used fuel from the reactor, the plant will be transferred to Holtec International for purposes of decommissioning, under the terms of an agreement between Entergy and Holtec International.

In December 2021, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the request to transfer the license from Entergy to Holtec International, which plans to complete the dismantling, decontamination, and remediation of Palisades to NRC standards by 2041, i.e., more than 40 years sooner than if Entergy continued to own the plant and selected the maximum 60-year NRC SAFSTOR option for decommissioning.

In April 2022, the US Department of Energy (DOE) opened applications and sealed bid submissions under the US$6bn Civil Nuclear Credit Program (CNC), which aims to support the continued operation of the country's nuclear reactors. The programme will allow owners or operators of nuclear power plants to apply for certification and competitively bid on credits to help support their continued operations.

Nuclear accounted for 19% of the country's total generation in 2021. There are 92 nuclear reactors currently in operation for a total capacity of about 99 GW (2022). In 2020, NextEra Energy shut down its Duane Arnold 600 MW reactor. Entergy also decommissioned its second and third Indian Point reactors in 2020 and 2021, respectively, for a total of 2.3 GW.