US firm plans to resurrect dead nuclear plant with twin SMRs at site

Holtec International has taken a significant step toward deploying two SMR-300 small modular reactors at the Palisades Energy Center in Covert, Michigan, by submitting the first part of a construction permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The application, which seeks a Limited Work Authorization (LWA), covers preliminary construction activities such as soil compaction, backfilling, and foundation installation for two 340-MWe pressurized water reactors named Pioneer-1 and Pioneer-2. These twin units are planned to be built on the site of the existing Palisades Nuclear Plant and are expected to add about 680 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to the regional grid, with construction targeted for completion in the early 2030s. The project has been bolstered by a $400 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. This SMR development is occurring alongside efforts to restart the original 800-MW Palisades reactor, which operated from