It’s Never Been Done
A retired nuclear power plant has its fuel removed, all maintenance stops, and corrosion begins.

Restarting it means checking every system, cleaning repeatedly, and then refueling—putting nuclear fuel back in and powering up the plant.

The 800MW Palisades Power Plant in Michigan has now received approval to be operational by 2025.

This is remarkable for both the engineering challenge and the promise it holds.

The company Holtec, which originally purchased the retired plant for decommissioning (demolition), is instead restarting it.

Holtec has no prior experience operating a nuclear power plant or any power plant.
Typically, nuclear plants are retired because the cost to maintain them exceeds the market value of the power they produce. But that equation is changing due to rising energy demand across the U.S., driven in large part by the growth of AI data centers.

Unlike solar or wind, nuclear power is receiving tax subsidies and loan guarantees from the U.S. government. These loan guarantees mean that if the project fails, U.S. taxpayers are responsible for repayment.

Notably, the U.S. recently canceled a loan guarantee for a power line that would have delivered five times more power than Palisades, generated by wind.

There is clear urgency and growing investment in new power sources to meet projected demand from AI infrastructure.

See the full article here: Canary Media – Holtec Palisades Restart

This effort is important. Multiple retired nuclear power plants across the U.S. could follow suit and be brought back online.

Let us not forget the tragic risks inherent to nuclear energy. Not nuclear explosions, but the potential release of radioactive material. These massive industrial facilities rely entirely on rigorous equipment maintenance and well-trained operators.

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Additional Information:

Palisades restart

Power line loan cancellation