Holtec Signs Agreement with Hyundai to Build Small Nuclear Reactors at Palisades Plant
Holtec International has signed an agreement with Hyundai Engineering and Construction to build two small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan, CNBC reported on Tuesday. The U.S. nuclear power industry is seeing a revival, after decades of floundering, driven by a surge in electricity demand and the vast energy requirements of Big Tech's AI data centers. Holtec, the owner of the Palisades nuclear plant, has been seeking to reopen the facility, which was closed under a different proprietor in 2022.
- The deployment of small modular reactors at Palisades may represent a shift towards a more flexible and adaptive approach to nuclear energy generation, but it remains to be seen how this new technology will address existing concerns about safety and waste management.
- Will the revived U.S. nuclear power industry be able to compete with renewable energy sources, or will these efforts prove too little, too late in the face of growing climate change concerns?