There’s a whole lot of energy stuff happening in Michigan.
The push to restart the Palisades nuclear reactor in the southwestern part of the state is gaining steam. So is the opposition. The plant, which shuttered in 2022 amid competition from cheaper energy sources, is now set to receive more than $2.4 billion in public subsidies. Meanwhile, those who want to see decommissioning proceed have filed multiple petitions with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
As Palisades advances, officials are taking a closer look at other retired nuclear facilities around the country that could be eligible for a second shot at life. In a report earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy identified retired nuclear plant sites in seven states — including Michigan and Wisconsin — that could have space to build an additional reactor.
Plans to install 85 megawatts of solar at the former Karn coal plant in eastern Michigan could also spur similar projects at coal plants that are in their final years throughout the region, environmental advocates say. A new study by the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy recommends adding new trails and waterfront access at the site and restoring wildlife habitat along the Saginaw Bay shoreline.
Another major investment in Michigan’s energy future came last week from automaker Stellantis NV, which announced last week that it will spend $406 million to grow its electric vehicle capacity at three plants in the state. The bulk of the money — about $235 million — will go to its assembly plant in Sterling Heights to support the upcoming electric Ram 1500 REV and hybrid Ram 1500 Ramcharger. (The United Auto Workers union has since filed federal labor charges over the company’s plans for another Michigan plant.)
It’s not all smooth sailing for Michigan’s energy transition, either. Republicans are elevating residents’ concerns about an EV battery plant being developed by a U.S. subsidiary of a Chinese company. The political party is making the local dispute into a major election-year issue that could impact races up and down the ballot. Pollsters say Democrats in Michigan are struggling to sell voters on EVs’ strengths. And the Biden administration’s efforts to frame the country’s only active nickel mine — on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, as a climate win for EVs — has failed to convince some of its neighbors, including the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, that the benefits outweigh the environmental risks.
More energy news, in case you missed it:
- Michigan regulators have until Dec. 1 to recommend changes to the state’s new clean energy standard that could ease the burden on the Upper Peninsula.
- As a Michigan utility considers selling its 13 Lower Peninsula dams, the federal government has picked 10 of them to receive nearly $23 million toward safety improvements and other upgrades.
- The Dairyland Power Cooperative, which serves customers in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, many of them in rural areas, was awarded $573 million in federal grants and loans to develop new wind and solar installations.
- Federal clean energy incentives motivated an international solar cell manufacturing partnership to set up shop in Minnesota, state officials say.
- The utility at the center of Ohio’s energy bribery scandal, FirstEnergy, has agreed to pay a $100 million penalty over its involvement in the scheme.
Catch more news at Great Lakes Now:
Energy News Roundup: New household rebates are on their way (and some are already here)
Energy News Roundup: Amid national attention, Great Lakes states continue their push to electrify
Featured image: Rows of high voltage lattice power line towers. (Photo Credit: GLN)
