COVERT, MI — The company that owns the Palisades nuclear plant is asking federal officials to approve its plan to fix “indications of cracking” on components used to generate power at the plant.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesperson Viktoria Mitlyng said officials with Entergy discovered the problem during a recent inspection and notified the commission on Friday, Sept. 18. The indications of cracking, found on nozzle penetrations for the nuclear reactor vessel head, do not pose a risk to the public, she said.
“The public is not in danger,” Mitlyng said. “These indications of cracking were identified. The plant will repair them according to the NRC requirements.”
Palisades is located on Lake Michigan, about 7 miles south of South Haven. The plant generates 800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 800,000 homes in Michigan. Entergy plans to close Palisades in 2022.
The nuclear plant is not currently generating power, Mitlyng said. A refueling and maintenance outage at Palisades began on Aug. 30, and the plant cannot begin generating power until the indications of cracking are repaired, she said.
“Only then can the plant go back online,” Mitlyng said of the requirement that the repairs be made. “The plant is safe when it is shut down like it is right now.”
Before Entergy can make repairs to the plant, it must submit its repair plan to the NRC for approval.
Entergy spokesperson Val Gent said the company plans to do so this week. The company is asking the NRC to approve its plan by Oct. 1.
“Palisades maintains a robust reactor integrity program and adheres to the highest federal safety and operating standards,” she said.
A conference call between the NRC and Entergy was held Monday morning. During the call Entergy officials described the approach they would use to fix the indications of cracking.
Following the discussion, several anti-nuclear activists questioned Entergy’s repair plan.
Kevin Kamps, a member of the group Beyond Nuclear, said he strongly objects to the “band aid repair that’s being proposed.”
“This rush job is unacceptable,” he said. “It increases the danger of mistakes being made, and the public downwind, including my family and loves ones in Kalamazoo, have had enough of this.”
Gent did not immediately respond when asked about criticism of Entergy’s plan.
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