Palisades Nuclear Generating Station, Nuclear power plant in Van Buren County, Michigan
Palisades Nuclear Generating Station is a decommissioned nuclear power plant in Van Buren County on the shore of Lake Michigan. The facility features a large concrete containment building roughly 116 feet wide and 189 feet tall with a steel dome, along with two cooling towers equipped with mechanical fans for circulating lake water.
Construction began in the late 1960s and the plant began operating in the early 1970s, producing electricity for over 40 years to power thousands of homes and businesses across the region. Operations ceased in May 2022, after which decommissioning began while Holtec International acquired the site with plans to potentially restart the reactors.
The site is closed to visitors for safety reasons, but the facility is visible from nearby parks and trails in the surrounding area. The cooling towers with rising steam are especially noticeable on cold winter mornings and serve as a landmark for those exploring the region.
Holtec International plans to install two small modular reactors at the site by the middle of the next decade, representing a modern reimagining of nuclear power for Michigan. This could bring new employment to the region and reflects a shift toward smaller, safer reactor designs.
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