Steps to help us save Palisades
STEP 1: Sign below on our original letter to Michigan officials (replicated below) to show your agreement that Michigan needs to protect Palisades in order to stay on its pathway to zero-emission energy by 2035, as committed by the Governor.
STEP 2: Join us now by signing our new letter in thanking Michigan Governor Whitmer and Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm for working together to protect Palisades and ensure that Entergy, Palisades’ current owner, and other parties collaborate in resolving the process by which Palisades can benefit from the DOE’s new Civil Nuclear Credit program.
Backgound: Following the release on February 1, 2022, of a letter urging California Governor Newsom to reverse the decision to prematurely close Diablo Canyon, the bipartisan group, Climate Coalition, drafted a similar letter to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the entire slate of elected Michigan officials urging them to protect Palisades. Shuttering nuclear power is bad for the climate, bad for the environment and bad for rate-payers, as that clean energy is replaced by dirty natural gas. We have received more than 350 co-signers! We are definitely encouraged by the show of support from the Governor’s office, but the deal is not done, so neither is our work.
(Please help us spread the word about this campaign using the hashtag #SavePalisades and #ProtectNuclearNOW.)
February 14, 2022
The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer
Governor, State of Michigan
Michigan Senators
Michigan Representatives
Members of the Michigan Legislature
Dear Governor Whitmer and Michigan Elected Officials,
We write you as a coalition of environmentalists, climate activists, scientific organizations, energy investors, and concerned citizens that cares deeply about mitigating climate change while ensuring human prosperity. We seek your assistance in preventing the permanent and premature closure of the Palisades nuclear plant in May 2022, nine years before its operating license expires in 2031. This single plant produces as much greenhouse gas free energy in a year as does all the wind and solar capacity in Michigan, 6.3 terawatt-hours. However, losing Palisades is worse than demolishing all renewable energy sources in Michigan: Palisades provides ⅕ of Michigan’s firm reliable carbon-free electricity.
The closure of Palisades will directly undermine the MI Healthy Climate Plan’s laudable goal for economy-wide carbon neutrality and may increase electricity cost to consumers. It will needlessly eliminate over 600 well-paying jobs, devastate the communities that host this plant, and diminish the state’s economic vitality. We urge you to do whatever is needed to keep Palisades operational.
In recent years, wholesale electricity prices have declined significantly due to the shale boom. Gas sets the electricity price in deregulated markets, many of which do not sufficiently compensate the climate, reliability, and resiliency qualities of generation assets. These market failures are threatening the economic viability of nuclear, our largest source of carbon-free energy.
The federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal of 2021 provisioned $6 billion in the Civilian Nuclear Credit program to prevent premature retirement of existing zero-carbon nuclear plants. We ask that you encourage and assist Entergy or any other plant owner, and Consumers Energy, the electric utility, in accessing this financial assistance to prevent plant closure, and to explore all other possibilities. The 2017 business decision to close Palisades was apparently based on losses from short-term market conditions noted above. Since then, our climate priorities have become more urgent, and economic conditions have changed. We request that you provide administrative, regulatory, and financial support as needed to preserve this invaluable asset for Michigan and our nation.
Palisades prevents at least 4.7 million tonnes CO2e emissions annually.[1] To ensure economy-wide decarbonization in a timely fashion, we cannot afford to lose any carbon-free energy. Some of the world’s leading scientists, entrepreneurs and academics on climate science, marine biology, air pollution, energy, planetary science, and land conservation recently made a similar plea to preserve California’s Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.[2]
The characteristics of nuclear power, specifically the availability on demand, the low land footprint, and the ability locate plants anywhere, make it the logical partner for the ever-increasing use of solar and wind energy. As we electrify transportation, heavy industry, and heating, the reliability of the electric system becomes ever more paramount. The Environmental Defense Fund, Princeton, Stanford, and Clean Air Task Force showed that a carbon-free grid that includes firm energy sources like nuclear can cut ratepayer costs in half.[3]
As already seen in California and Germany, renewables-only decarbonization approaches, coupled with shutting down nuclear power, result in exorbitant electric rates, grid instability, little reduction in fossil combustion, and even increased fossil-fuel dependence.[4],[5] All four of IPCC illustrative pathways consistent with a 1.5 ºC planet require 2050 nuclear generation to be 2x to 6x the 2010 level.[6]
America’s nuclear plants are among the best in the world. There is no technical reason that they cannot operate for decades more with good maintenance and replacement of reactor system components. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, responsible for the safe operation of U.S. nuclear generation, has permitted plants like Palisades to operate for 80 years, and is already considering life extensions out to 100 years. The institutional knowledge of workers and engineers who operate the existing fleet of reactors must be sustained.
Saving our existing nuclear plants is the simplest, cheapest, and most immediate action we can take to protect the global climate and Michigan communities harmed by air pollution. Preserving Palisades will reduce Michigan’s herculean burden to build redundant generation, extra transmission lines, and energy storage infrastructure that would span millions of acres and cost billions of dollars.
Given the urgency of the situation, we cannot continue down the politically expedient path of allowing premature nuclear closures before successfully eliminating fossil combustion. Recognizing this, the Illinois legislature recently passed a comprehensive energy bill that preserved the Byron & Dresden nuclear plants.[7] Pennsylvania successfully reversed the previously announced closure of Beaver Valley.[8] Even groups previously skeptical of nuclear energy are calling to preserve built plants that operate safely.[9] Michigan must take the courageous step to protect its existing nuclear assets to help displace all carbon-emitting sources.
We thank you in advance for your attention to this urgent matter.
Signed below,
___________
[1] Burning gas emits 758 g/kWh CO2e life cycle GWP20, at a 2.3% methane leak rate vs. 12 g/kWh from nuclear.
[2] Save Clean Energy. Dear Governor Newsom. February 2022. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wpKHHQD9IVHDQOQPLMFYIHPt5x0kLm0_/view
[3] EDF, Stanford University, Princeton University, Clean Air Task Force. California needs clean firm power, and so does the rest of the world. April 2021. https://www.edf.org/cleanfirmpower
[4] Bryce. The High Cost of California Electricity Is Increasing Poverty. July 2020. https://freopp.org/the-high-cost-of-california-electricity-is-increasing-poverty-d7bc4021b705
[5] Pancevski & Kantchev. Germany’s Reliance on Russian Gas Limits Europe’s Options in Ukraine Crisis. January 2022. https://www.wsj.com/articles/germanys-reliance-on-russian-gas-limits-europes-options-in-ukraine-crisis-11642939203
[6] IPCC. Global Warming of 1.5 ºC. October 2018. https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/spm/spm-c/spm3b/
[7] Exelon. Passage of Illinois Energy Legislation Preserves Nuclear Plants and Strengthens State’s Clean Energy Leadership. September 2021. https://www.exeloncorp.com/newsroom/passage-of-illinois-energy-legislation-preserves-nuclear-plants-and-strengthens-states-clean-energy-leadership
[8] Keep nuclear generation at current levels, says Pennsylvania climate plan. ANS Nuclear Café. September 2021 https://www.ans.org/news/article-3290/keep-nuclear-generation-at-current-levels-says-pennsylvania-climate-plan/
[9] The Union of Concerned Scientists. The Nuclear Power Dilemma. October 2018. https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/nuclear-power-dilemma
Full List of Signatories to the Letter
- Dr. Todd Allen, Glenn F. and Gladys H. Knoll Department Chair of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, Director of the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project, Director of the Fastest Path to Zero Initiative, author of “Opinion: Why closing Palisades nuclear plant is like sinking the lifeboats,” published October 14, 2021 in Bridge Michigan
- Dr. Frederick Buckman, Adjunct Professor University of Michigan, Former CEO Consumers Power, Former Chief Nuclear Officer Consumers Power
- James Duderstadt, President Emeritus, University of Michigan
- Dr. William R Martin, Professor Emeritus of Nuclear Engineering, Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, University of Michigan, Associate Editor, Nuclear Science and Engineering
- Dr. John C. Lee, Professor, University of Michigan, currently serving on the National Academy of Sciences Panel on Used Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Issues.
- Dr. James Hansen, Director, Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions, Columbia University Earth Institute
- Dr. Sara A. Pozzi, Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- Dr. Xiaodong Sun, Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- Michelle Sonderman, Undergraduate Program Manager, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- Dr. Douglas McLain, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (retired)
- Dr. Alec Thomas, Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- River Bennett, Graduate Researcher, University of Michigan Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences
- Dr. Imre Pázsit, Adjunct Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- Dr. Victor Petrov, Research Scientist, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- Kevin Krause, Michigan Public Service Commission Staff (representing self)
- Dr. Brendan Kochunas, Professor, University of Michigan
- Zhong He, Professor, University of Michigan
- Fei Gao, Professor, University of Michigan
- David Wehe, Professor, University of Michigan
- Dr. Jessica Lovering, Founder, Good Energy Collective, Fastest Path to Zero
- Dr. Scott Baalrud, Associate Professor, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- Dr. Adam Burak, Assistant Research Scientist, Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan
- Dr. Roger N. Blomquist, Captain, US Navy (retired), former nuclear submariner. Currently Principal Nuclear Engineer
- Dr. Antone L. Brooks, Radiation Biologist, Research Professor and Chief Scientist for the DOE Low Dose Radiation Biology Research Program
- Marisol Garrouste, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Michigan
- Oskar Searfus, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Michigan
- Mackenzie Warwick, U.S. Women in Nuclear, University of Michigan Student Chapter
- Gretchen Goddard, Senior Reactor Engineer, Entergy
- Dr. Dietmar Detering, Climate Coalition and Nuclear New York
- Dr. Gene Nelson, Californians for Green Nuclear Power, Climate Coalition
- Dr. Jennifer Klay, Professor of Physics, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
- Dr. Joseph Lassiter, III, Heinz Professor of Management Practice in Environmental Management, Harvard Business School (Retired)
- Dr. Joshua Goldstein, American University, Professor Emeritus
- Dr. Eugene G Preston, Transmission and Generation Adequacy Consulting
- Peter V. Schwartz, Professor of Physics, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Futurist
- Dr. Shanbin Shi, Professor, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Dr. Richard A. Steeves, Friends of Fission – Midwest, and Climate Coalition
- Dr. Alan Fellman, CHP, Manager NV5 Training Academy and Senior Health Physicist
- Nellie Kooistra, Program Manager, Calvin University
- Dr. Chris Keefer, Doctors 4 Nuclear Energy
- Dr. Minghui Chen, University of New Mexico
- Dr. Qingqing Liu
- Dr. Michael Pelizzari
- Dr. Al Scott, Physicist
- Dr. John N Nishio, Professor
- Barbara Peitsch, MA/MPP, Sr. Program Manager, Fastest Path to Zero, NERS, University of Michigan
- John Windschill, Radiation Protection Manager at Monticello and Duane Arnold nuclear power plants (Retired)
- Michael Schneider, Climate Coalition, Michigan
- Jim Wimberly, Energy Security Partners, LLC
- Philip Carlson, University of Wisconsin Radiology, Emeritus Professor
- Arvid Pasto, Retired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Metals and Ceramics Division
- Art Hobson, University of Arkansas, Professor Emeritus of Physics
- John Kutsch, Executive Director, Thorium Energy Alliance
- Isuru Seneviratne, Climate Coalition
- Gary Kahanak, Climate Coalition
- Valerie Gardner, Climate Coalition
- James Hopf, Policy Lead, Generation Atomic
- Eric Meyer, Generation Atomic
- Heather Hoff, Mothers for Nuclear
- Madison Hilli, Campaign for a Green Nuclear Deal
- Paris Ortiz-Wines, Stand Up for Nuclear
- Princess Mthombeni, Africa 4 Nuclear
- Pramilla Malick, Protect Orange County
- Rezwan Razani, Footprint to Wings
- Tom Dolan, Waste to Energy NOW
- Herschel Spector, Nuclear New York
- Zion Lights, Emergency Reactor
- Meredith Angwin, author of “Shorting the Grid”
- Malcolm Cleaveland, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Professor Emeritus of Geosciences
- Ray Sundby BSEE, MBA, Campaign for a Green Nuclear Deal
- Alan Medsker, Campaign for a Green Nuclear Deal
- Tom Bammann, Zero Sequence Earthling
- William P. Gloege, Californians for Green Nuclear Power
- Steve Curtis, Texas Recycles Used Nuclear Fuel
- Michael Shellenberger, Environmental Progress
- Dr. Fred Behringer, Scientist, Analytical Chemistry/Plant Biology, Climate Coalition
- Flynn Darby, Graduate Student, University of Michigan
- Andrea Kooistra, MS, Dietitian, University of Michigan
- Andrew Panter, American Nuclear Society, University of Michigan Student Section
- Kaitlyn Barr, BSE Nuclear Engineering Graduate Student, University of Michigan
- Erik Hall, Graduate Student Research Assistant, University of Michigan, CoE, D/NERS
- Robert Renfrow, Graduate Student, University of Michigan, Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences Department
- Hubby Kristopher, Monterey Bay for Nuclear Power
- Charles Sisco, Citizens Climate Lobby
- Michael Jirka, Board Member, Friends of the Norfolk and White Rivers
- Christopher Bergan, ESNA.earth, Energy Reality Project
- Pramila Malick, Protect Orange County
- Keith Schue, Electrical Engineer, New York Energy and Climate Advocates
- Leonard Rodberg, NY Energy and Climate Advocates
- Amanda Poster, US Nuclear Energy Foundation
- Dan See, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
- Eric Robinson, Thorium Energy Alliance
- Mark Miller, Certified Health Physcist (Retired)
- Mukesh Mistry, NPCIL, Electrical Supervisor
- Gregory Pederson, Information Systems Security Engineer, U.S. Navy
- Jeffrey Mahn, Nuclear Engineer (retired)
- Eugene Wilson, President, Californi Clean Energy Committee
- Travis Dietz, Radiation Effects Engineer
- Susan Brown, Research Scientist, University of Colorado
- Robert Lance, Control Room Supervisor (Retired)
- Jean-Luc Salanave, Ecole Centrale, Professor
- Rod Adams, former Commander, U.S. Navy, author of Atomic Insights & Podcast
- Tom Rehm, The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Climate Solutions Community
- Juraj Klepáč, former Secretary General, The Slovak Nuclear Society
- Bruno Comby, Founder and President, Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy
- Gabe Ignetti, Ecomodernist Society of North America
- John A. Shanahan, Civil engineer for nuclear power (Retired)
- Fabio Nouchy, Design Engineer
- Peter Shaw, Radiological Chemist
- Charlie Feuerman, Nuclear New York
- Rainer Klute, Nuklearia e. V., Chairman
- Janne Hirvonen, Ecomodernists Society
- Matthew Mairinger, NAYGN
- Stuart Bondurant, I&C Engineer
- Bill Kish, Stop Cricket Valley
- Dominic Wipplinger, Nuklearia, ÖKTG
- John Wortman, MBA, Petroleum Engineer
- James A. Mentz, MSEE, MBA
- Aaron Belman-Wells
- Isaac Reichow
- Julianna Schoenwald
- Samuel Piper
- Rosalia Otaduy-Ramírez
- Rachel Pastori
- Ryan Pickering
- Brian Campbell
- Chris O’Neil
- Karina Howey
- Genève Magnan
- Jessica Kahn
- Ann McCulloch
- Dan Coody
- Trevor Rix
- Denis Tazhkenov
- Chapman Scarborough
- Todd Francisco
- Colby McElveen
- Enrico Torielli
- Fabio Zanzucchi
- AJ Williams
- Shawn Connors
- Charles Harte
- Keith Rodan
- Brad Volz
- Alan Ostner
- Art Hobson
- Marian Kunetka
- Colin Sweet
- Marc Deffrennes
- Chris Quartly
- Pawel Krawczyk
- Benjamin Leopardo
- Ebbe Pedersen
- Chad Wade
- Adam Anderson
- Anne Gent
- Carolyn McCreary
- Bruce Weir
- Martin Maletinsky
- Mark Young
- David Liljewall
- Tao Flaherty
- Jose Alvarellos
- Herschel Specter
- Ozzie Aery Fallick
- Stefan Hasenohr
- Creighton Cooper
- Hans Orrje
- Giovanni Paolo Vinci
- Annapoorna Akella
- Marty Marinak
- Kristyne Marton
- Joel Gingold
- Johannes Ros
- George Berka
- Chris Melville
- Damon White
- Tao Flaherty
- Keldin Sergheyev
- Harvey Gardner
- Daniel Perez
- Konrad Siemek
- Christie Cherrington
- Damon White
- Mary Ann Baier
- Samantha Pious
- Marian Kirwel
- Kalin Filipov
- Donald Hebbard
- Matthias Rey
- Brian Wilson
- John Harshorn
- Tim Rickman
- Gordon McDowell
- Tim Larson
- Virgil Fenn
- Thomas Kurhajetz
- Doug Houseman
- Matthew Chouinard
- Diane J. Reed
- Jean McCulloch
- Kyle Vaughn
- Bill Gogesch
- Jason Sylvester
- Michal Alberski, Fridays for Future (Poland)
- John M. Baxter, Technical Writer, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers
- Isabelle Boemeke, Director, Save Clean Energy
- Max Winkler
- Amy Pattullo
- Matthew Schor
- Shane Day
- Victor DeLibera, Nuclear engineering student, Missouri University of Science and Technology
- Dr. Nick Touran, PE, Nuclear engineer, Author of “WhatisNuclear.com”
- Emily Cizmas
- Antoni Korgul
- Angelica Oung
- Alimi Azeez, X-ray Technician
- Charles Stearns
- Kory Welsch, Health Physics Technician
- Sarah Falkowski, Environmental Engineer, University of Michigan
- Dr. Won Sik Yang, Professor, University of Michigan
- Richard Goforth
- Jake Claes, Engineer
- Jonathan Christopher, Mechanical Engineer
- Armando Linares, Nuclear Plant Operator, Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, Entergy
- Robert Blackburn, Nuclear Engineering Facility Manager, ex Senior Reactor Operator, Ford Nuclear Reactor
- Matthew Weiner
- Matteo Turner
- Howard F. Jones, Jr., Fuel Project Manager and Reactor Engineering Supervisor, Westinghouse and Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company (Retired)
- William Grunow, Ph.D Candiate, University of Maryland
- Brian J. Clymer
- Steven B.
- Ron Gester, MD, Science Council for Global Solutions
- Ryan Fouty
- DJ LeCleat, Nuclear Safety Specialist, “The Rad Guy”
- Baxter Linney, Mechanical Engineer
- Sven Kaemerer
- Remy Devoe, Engineer
- Nigel Barnes, Director, Designidge Ltd.
- Terry Groth, PE
- Elizabeth Smith
- Andrew Depetrini
- Rob Loveday, MSc, Communications Director, Generation Atomic
- John Kotek, Nuclear Matters
- Edmund W.Raciborski, Retired Principal Evaluator, Institute of Nuclear Power Operations
- Lydia Clowney
- Lumin Wang, Professor, University of Michigan
- Michael Helm
- Lee DuBois P.E., Consulting Engineer, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- Dr. Rachel Cole
- John Law, Clean Energy Revolution
- Judy P. Clowney
- Emeline Hanna
- John Reeves
- Richard Bono
- Mark Dawes
- Robert Leonard
- John Fuchs-Chesney
- Sarah Behringer, Electrical Engineer
- Donna Wells, Manager, Nuclear Employee Concerns Program, Diablo Canyon Power Plant
- William S. Sutfin, B.S. Engr. University of Illinois; Retired Project Controls Manager, Bechtel Corporation
- Greg Crouch, Director of Radiological Safety and Security, Indiana University
- Lindsay Thompson, Planner
- Russell Cage, BSEE (retired)
- Paul Marks
- Randall Cottle
- Michael Hall
- Thomas M. Lahey
- Michael Crescimanno
- Matthew Weiner
- Mark Duffett
- Vincent Bitowf
- Tom Jessessky
- Louis Harnisch
- Eric Freeburg
- Ethan Bodnaruk, PE
- Archie Robertson, BSc
- Andy Schmidt
- Eric Scot Dawson, Nuclear New York
- Dr. Eugene G. Preston
- Chris Seaman, Director of Business Development, Access Solutions
- Philip Hamm, Task Order Manager
- Dr. John Randall
- Gabriel Ignetti, Chair, Ecomodernist Society of North America
- Michael Carey, Californians for Green Nuclear Power
- Adam Saltsman, Co-founder and Creative Director, Finji
- Isaac Mooney, Ph.D. Candidate, Wayne State University
- Tayla Smight, MPH
- Freida Blostein, Epidemiologist, University of Michigan
- Ethan Koenig
- Dr. Morten Karlsen, DTU – Technical University of Denmark
- Damon White, BE Mechanical
- Oliver Carlson
- Joel Pierson, Hydrogeologist
- Melzar Coulter
- Laurie Coulter
- Harald Opsahl
- Jonah Messinger, Energy Analyst, The Breakthrough Institute, author of Saving Palisades Nuclear Power Plant to Secure Michigan’s Clean Energy Future
- Gordon McDowell, Computer Programmer
- Michael Coulter
- Charles Hirst, Ph.D. candidate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Michael Sparr, Project Engineer – Nuclear
- Curtis Aardema
- Agnieszka Żuk, Młodzieżowy Strajk Klimatyczny
- Peggy Rose
- Abner Bhattacharya
- Robert Eric Freeburg
- Matthew Dickerson
- Trenton L. Danos
- Marena White
- Hanna Kaflik
- Kamila Światły, Architect
- Urszula Dancewicz, M.Sc.
- Tymoteusz Baranowski, Młodzieżowy Strajk Klimatyczny
- Monika Daniluk, Polish Smog Alert
- Leszek Karlik, FOTA4Climate
- Viktoria Urbach
- Wiktor Serwicki
- Blazej Miernikiewicz, Extinction Rebellion
- Dominik Bieczyński, MSc, Founder of Zielony Atom (Green Atom)
- Zofia Lamecka, Fridays for Future Poland
- Tomasz Ilnicki, Author of the book Chernobyl and Fukushima
- Bartosz Kelner
- Tymoteusz Hajduk
- Mateusz Hajduk
- Feliks Helewicz
- Jacek Werder
- Joanna Wieczorek
- Mateusz Stecki, M.Sc.Eng. , Research and technical specialist at Institute of Security Technologies “MORATEX”
- Bartlomiej Piwowarski, M.Sc., Nuclear engineer, NCBJ
- Paweł Ćwiklicki
- Dieter Cnockaert
- Maria Urbańska
- Joanna Stelmach, M.Sc., Molecular Biophysicist
- Lukasz Dabrowiecki
- Angelika Ligman
- Kaja Kornatowska
- Łukasz Hejnak, Sr. Software Developer, Nordic Semiconductor
- Love Marcus
- Dirk Van de Voorde, Electrical Engineer, 100TWh
- Jens Kragholm
- Maciej Szczepański, Data analyst
- Ida Wręga, Fridays for Future Poland
- Billy Gogesch
- Jakub Warcaba
- Maciej Egermeier
- Adam Włodzimierz Miziołek, Laudato Si Movement
- Stanislaw Kaminski
- Natalia Zwolińska
- Albert Trojanowski
- Camina Rice
- Steven Traylor
- Artur Neland
- Matthew Howard, Managing Director, Bank of America
- Richard Steeves, MD, PhD, Director, Rethinkingnuclear.org
Please add your name to our letter by completing the below form.
(Comments on this page are now closed.)
[…] SIGN LETTER TO SAVE PALISADES […]
In this time of record high energy costs it makes no sense to prematurely close an established climate-friendly nuclear plant in Michigan. Residents who depend on the power Palisades supplies will be hit with much higher costs and a loss of vital employment in their communities. Closing Palisades early just shouldn’t happen.
If your administration truly understands the urgency of the climate and ecological emergency, they would not allow the premature closure of Palisades NPP, a reliable source of low-carbon power. Look to the state of New York which recently closed their Indian Point 2 NPP and thus increased their CO2 emissions from power generation by 40%! This is the equivalent of filling a football stadium with gasoline – 648 million gallons – and setting it on fire.
We’ve been on the receiving end of mis-information regarding nuclear power here in Alberta. Having climbed up out of that hole, it is now very clear the very best low-carbon value for the buck (be it CAD or USD) is keeping existing nuclear running. I’ve not yet seen an example where this is untrue. And inevitably, the nuclear is replaced with combustion.
Save Palisades
Palisades generates ~15% of Michigan’s clean energy. Closing the plant almost a decade before its NRC license expires would be a terrible mistake. See my piece on the topic here: https://tinyurl.com/mr4bnwd4
I believe nuclear power is the best near term approach to reducing greenhouse gases and slowing global warming. Please keep the plant open for now. The benefits far outweigh the risks. Supporting nuclear power has the 7th generation in mind.
“The carbon crisis has put the world in a deep hole, and the first thing to do now, is to stop digging it any deeper:
– keep clean energy flowing from our existing nuclear plants, and extend their useful lives whenever possible;
– build partnerships with the private enterprises developing newer, cleaner, and cheaper nuclear technologies; and
– recycle the stock of used nuclear fuel on hand to generate more clean energy without sacrificing so much of our other natural resources.”
A Nuclear Power Plant ANYWHERE means cleaner air EVERYWHERE!
Please do not turn off this Climate Cathedral!
Nuclear is the greenest energy!
[…] SIGN LETTER TO SAVE PALISADES […]
No more nuclear plant shutdowns in the United States! This plant MUST be saved!! Gov. Pritzker wisely signed legislation to save the Byron and Dresden plants in Illinois. Follow his lead. Don’t be a fool like former NY Gov. Cuomo, who recklessly shut down Indian Point. Now NY uses more fossil fuels & renewables (unreliables), has more expensive electricity, and has a far less stable electrical grid. This was a MAJOR blunder…inexcusable. Nuclear is safe, reliable, and clean. It works 24/7/365. It sustains hundreds of good paying jobs, stimulates local economies, stabilizes local communities, and makes our whole country safer from grid failures. There’s nothing NOT to like!
Nuclear power is the method of generation that produces the least carbon dioxide.
This is a simple and crucial action to take. Keeping existing nuclear power plants open is one of the most cost effective ways to keep greenhouse gas emissions lower!
Until recently and perhaps to the present day, Palisades alone generated more emissions-free electricity than all the wind farms in Michigan. Failing to prevent its closure would be a crime against humanity. It’s time to stop the ideological insanity and do what works.
[…] than 230 “experts and concerned citizens” signed a letter written by advocacy group Protect Nuclear Now begging Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) not to […]
[…] 230 experts and concerned citizens joined signed a letter written by advocacy group Protect Nuclear Now begging Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) not to […]
Nuclear Power continues to be a safe source of energy in the U.S.
I am deeply concerned with the negative environmental impacts from closing nuclear plants. I urge you to listen to the scientists and reconsider the decision.
I support well regulated and overseen clean emissions. Please keep the plant open
As we build a renewable grid we need the support of nuclear plants. These plants are highly efficient, safe, and reliable means of generation. Closing these plants prematurely is a waste of investment and counteractive to the green mission of decarbonizing the grid.
I’ve worked at Palisades as a contract engineer. This plant is reliable and will reduce carbon footprint of MI as well as save MI residents money based on increasing natural gas costs.
Please do the right thing for your citizens and our environment and consider the science and not the politics. It would be shortsighted to close yet another zero-carbon power plant. In fact, we should be building more nuclear plants! Nuclear is the ultimate “green” power.
We need nuclear to tackle climate change. Renewables alone will not be enough to supply our future energy needs. We should not be closing nuclear stations.
Nuclear energy is an efficient, clean, and reliable source of energy. We should be expanding our focus on sustainable energy sources that are carbon free.
I started my career at Palisades. It a good running plant that helps provide clean air energy to west Michigan. If they shutdown, its power will be replaced by natural gas.
We need MORE clean energy from Nuclear, not less!
If you live in Michigan and want to contact your lawmakers and Governor Whitmer about this directly, go here: https://www.generationatomic.org/take-action/save-palisades-nuclear-plant/
More Nuclear please!
Shutting 24/7 reliable Diablo is an emissions folly; a mistake, that unreliable energy will not easily make up. Diablo’s reliable generation is equal to all the unreliable generation of all the wind farms in CA.
Nuclear is objectively the best energy source we have.
We lost Indian Point here in NY and are hurting for the loss, please don’t repeat our mistake. It’s bad for the environment and bad for the average rate paying citizens as well.
Now is not the time to let any clean energy, especially nuclear power, slip through the cracks. It’s time to get on the right side of history and keep our nuclear fleet going!
They’re the least destructive and space efficient power we have. 96% recyclable material too, use these tools to help drive energy prices down while driving us to a future where we can upgrade this equipment to stronger fission reactors.
There is no decarbonization withou nuclear power.
We need more clean energy.
Nuclear power is our current best answer to combat climate change. Plants have a much longer life and smaller footprint than any renewables and all waste is accounted for. No other power industry equipment can make that claim. We should not only be saving legacy plants but extending their contracts. Please do your part in helping combat the existential threat to humankind and help keep this plant OPEN.
CT kept it’s nuclear power plant open and it’s playing a very important part in meeting climate goals while at the same time providing reliable energy.
No 1 source can meet all of our energy needs. We need all sources. Nuclear is now an excellent, safe source of energy. Politicians and those who have paid scientists to say what “global warming” proponents want cannot solve energy needs. Since “global warming” why rolling blackouts? Extinction of carbon monoxide will cause plants to die. No common sense. Keep the nuclear plant!!! Wind turbines are a disaster ecologically and cost.
I’m a graduate of Physics, and I’m willing to further my research in Nuclear engineering because it’s clean source of energy.
Closing nuclear plants prematurely is a senseless climate crime!
I am a young person. The effects of climate change will hit me and my childden the most. That is why i will not allow clean energy sources to be shut down.
I grew up in Petoskey, Michigan and got trained in nuclear engineering at the University of Michigan. I’ve always been proud of Michigan’s clean energy generated by nuclear plants and think we need to do everything possible to keep them online as long as possible to help fight climate change and keep electricity supply reliable.
I am a lifelong Michigander. I studied nuclear engineering at the University of Michigan. Please do not close Palisades prematurely. When our state so desperately needs to decarbonize, it makes no sense to shut down a source of clean, low-carbon power for Michigan.
It would be a total disservice to the people of covert township and south haven to be both deprived of jobs and clean air because of some fabricated fervor and fear of something they don’t understand. We need more nuclear plants, not less!
Nuclear awesome. What more can I say
We need clean safe nuclear power.
We need a global warming solution now, and nuclear is ready. Let’s use it.
This is vital for the environment!
We need all the clean energy we can get! Shutting down nuclear power plants in a climate crisis is reckless and dangerous.
I have studied nuclear energy thoroughly. Plants where operators have been trained properly and proper maintenance is performed on a regular basis are a tremendous near-zero carbon asset that, in addition, provides critically-needed stability to power grids that also incorporate wind and solar power.
The fear of the biological effects of radiation are part of the driving force in trying to close Nuclear Power Plants. My research has demonstrated three important facts. First, radiation is a poor mutagen and carcinogen. Second, radiation exposures in nuclear power plants are very low and carefully controlled. Third, biological responses to low doses are protective not harmful.
Nuclear is the cleanest and safest energy we have.
We can’t afford to shut down clean, safe, non-emitting energy sources in the midst of a climate crisis. Not only is it financial suicide, but it also increases fossil fuel burning.
Nuclear is a proven reliable and safe energy source needed to address climate change. Keep Palisade running!
Nuclear Power is indispensable for addressing our growing climate crisis. Closing nuclear power plants can only send us backwards at a time when decisive action critical.
We will spend billions of dollars to build the 9 Gigawatts of solar and 5 more Ludington like pumped storage (cheaper than batteries). The plant easily has 20 more years of safe operations.
2017-2019 Palisades capacity factor was 87% on a capacity of 805 MWe. That is a lot of clean energy. Is already built. Is running safely. Please do not destroy existing clean energy infrastructure. Do not destroy operating wind turbines. Do not destroy operating solar panels. Do not destroy Palisades.
Please protect this plant. It is an extremely valuable green energy asset- and very hard to replace once it is gone.
Nuclear power is the only fully scalable, 24/7, zero-carbon emission power source. Its environmental impact is negligible due to the extremely high energy density of uranium, leading to minimal mining and far lower land use requirements than other power sources. If climate change is causing more erratic and extreme weather, how does it make sense to develop a weather-dependent electricity system. MIchigan needs nuclear power for its industries, commerce, and e-cars.
If we are serious about reducing the quantity of carbon released to the atmosphere, nuclear energy MUST be included as it is a key part of the solution.
Prematurely closing a power plant that has operated safely for decades, and can continue to operate safely, is misguided. The bulk of NPP cost and carbon footprint is construction. Let MI enjoy the low carbon power we earned by investing in nuclear.
Reliable, safe 24/7/365. Paid for, operating? Any questions?
I support a sustainable planet … Nuclear is a bridge … Arctic methane release leads to an uncertain future … an existential threat to survival of our world population as it is now. Let me boil that down for you. DON’T STOP ANY ZERO-CARBON-RELEASE ELECTRICITY GENERATION until we know if our puny CO2 sequestration is working.
I’d like to thank everyone for their thoughtful comments and for doing what they can to #SavePalisades.
It is not credible to claim that climate change is an “existential threat” while also calling for the premature closure of carbon-free nuclear power. Nuclear power, both existing and new, is essential to any meaningful response to the climate crisis.
We need ALL nuclear plants now, more than ever, to fight increased planet-killing carbon emissions. The Palisades plant should not be shut down for economic, or any other reasons based on misinformation and fear mongering..
Makes eminently good sense. Michigan is ideally suited to lead the nation in providing carbon-free nuclear energy. Ensuring a future for Palisades is the first step in a promising future.
Nuclear energy is clean, reliable, and would be cheap if not for our irrational grid structure. We cannot afford to close any plant.
If we want to make progress on global warming, we must keep the clean generation we have, including Palisades, so that renewables replace fossil fuels. We can’t afford to tread water.
It would be a dereliction of duty to let the largest dispatchable source of clean energy and jobs in Michigan go away prematurely, costing Michigan citizens jobs and more money for less reliable power.
Replacing zero carbon produced by Palisades with power generated most likely by coal-fired plants in neighboring plants is not the right move. Michigan should be a leader in clean energy production and renewables alone cannot meet our needs.
Nuclear energy, available now, can be a transition energy source to a carbon free future. Methane leaked from gas plants and fracking are horrible for the environment. Hopefully in 10 years renewable energy sources, wind and solar, will be enough for the insatiable demand for electricity.
Nuclear Energy is Clean Energy! Save it!
We need to save the clean, safe, and economic Palisades plant.
If we want to reduce our carbon emissions, I don’t see any other path forward than to use nuclear along with other renewables. Closing Palasades would be a mistake. Why don’t we look into the deciding factors that lead to the failure of the power purchase agreement Consumers Energy and address those in future plant designs and planning?
Allowing Palisades to shut down would severely damage Michigan’s climate action goals and remove a very reliable power source from Michigan’s grid. The only reason for this shutdown is loss of profitability due to the cheap price of fossil fuels and the heavy subsidies for renewables. Do not allow this nuclear power plant, which accounts for a large portion of Michigan’s carbon free energy, to shut down.
This is the wrong time to be closing nuclear reactor plants. The lead time to construct a new plant may be a decade, during which time the emissions from fossil fueled plants to generate the same electricity as Palisades will have done their irreversible damage to the climate.
Support saving the Palisades plant.
Nuclear is clean energy, do not close it.
It’s important both to the State of Michigan and the United States industry.
Simple engineering discipline brings to light that Nuclear Power should be a major player in climate change mitigation, clean air, energy security, and affordable energy. Look at the mess Germany is putting itself in.
The plant is incredibly safe, highly reliable and provides much needed carbon free energy along with round the clock capacity to the Midwest.
Shutting down nuclear power, the most reliable carbon free power source we have, is insanity. Unless the plan is to replace nuclear with nuclear, palisades must be kept open.
Save Palisades!
To improve our chances of solving climate change we need as much nuclear energy generation online as we can get in the coming decades. It makes no sense to shut down clean safe energy generation capabiity. Laws need to be changed to make all power generation companies pay the environmental, recycling or safe waste disposal, and health costs of any generation method they are using. This will level the field and show that nuclear is the low cost clean energy leader.
According to the latest UNECE report “Carbon Neutrality,” nuclear energy has the lowest median CO2 balance of all energy sources. It is also among the lowest in every category of environmental impact.
I perform transmission studies for wind and solar developers. I also run regional reliability studies. I know from my studies its not possible to have a CO2 free reliable grid using just wind and solar. Nuclear power must be included in the mix of future non CO2 power sources.
Please speak out publicly in defense of nuclear power during your reelection campaign. You may persuade many Democrats and other environmental activists to reconsider their anti-nuclear bias in the fight against climate change.
I support Palisades & all Nuclear Power Plants because ultra-safe/u-clean./u-energy dense/ultra reliable Nuclear Power is by far the most viable/scalable alternative to Fossil Fuels & ergo the most viable/scalable way to combat Anthropogenic Global Warming & Energy Poverty.
Palisades provides clean power. It also provides good jobs and a solid tax base for its area of Michigan. Please support its continued operation.
By signing here, I authorize my name to be added to this letter to save keep Palisades power plant running until 2035
It is clear that Palisades is a valuable piece of nuclear infrastructure for United States energy independence
We need all kinds of carbon free energy. Please do not close any doors.
This is an emergency.
The biggest risk from nuclear power is not using it.
Like wind or solar generating facilities, nuclear powerplants emit zero GHGs. Unlike wind or solar, nuclear powerplants operate around the clock at steady output, thereby helping ensure grid reliability and resiliency. There are no other options like nuclear powerplants that are technically and commercially feasible that also entail zero GHG emissions, and can be deployed at grid-level scales to meet the U.S.’ electricity demands for the coming decades.
Global catastrophe or nuclear power? The choice seems easy even though execution may not be. But it’s not as hard as being responsible for what’s coming if we do nothing.
I am a retired NOAA oceanographer who attended the University of Michigan. I am worried about climate change and think it would be a mistake to close the Palisades nuclear power station. It provides reliable power for Michigan and does not significantly harm the lake environment. With proper maintenance, it can operate safely for several more decades. If it is closed, it will be replaced by burning more natural gas. This at a time when we should be trying to reduce our burning of fossil fuels.
I do understand that governance is not simple. Some matters require more than a strict rational approach to balance all competing nterests. This is not one of those. The task of powering civilization is consequential beyond all measure. It must be undertaken with a complete and thorough understanding. At this moment in history early closure of nuclear power plants is unequivocally the wrong decision.