About Palisades Power Plant

The Palisades Power Plant located near Kalamazoo Michigan is owned by Entergy. It’s a one-unit, pressurized water reactor, rated at 789 megawatt capacity that is in good material condition. Palisades began commercial operation in December 1971.

In 1996, INPO characterized Palisades’ performance as "exemplary". In 2000 Palisades set a plant record for working four years without a lost time accident and received The National Safety Council’s "Industry Leader" award for industrial safety in 1999.

Specifications

Location: Covert, Mich. (five miles south of South Haven, Mich.)

Reactor Manufacturer: Combustion Engineering

Turbine-Generator: Westinghouse Electric

Architect-Engineer/Constructor: Bechtel Power Corporation

Commercial Operation Date: Dec. 1971

Maximum Dependable Capacity: 798 megawatts

License Expiration Date: 2031

Ownership: Entergy

Entergy status: Entergy assumed operating authority from the owner in April 2007.

Address

Palisades Nuclear Plant
27780 Blue Star Memorial Highway
Covert, Mich. 49043-9530

Milestones

1966: Construction begins.

1969: First shipment of enriched uranium from the Atomic Energy Commission.

1971: First commercial generation of electricity on Dec. 31.

1975: Mechanical draft cooling towers enter service.

1997: Plant celebrates silver anniversary.

2000: Nuclear Management Company begins operating the plant. Consumers Energy retains ownership.

2003: Fastest refueling outage (35 days) and first zero-recordable injury outage since going online Dec. 31, 1971.

2004: Plant operates continuously for 478 days, the longest continuous electric generating operation of any CMS Energy facility.

2005: Nuclear Management Company, on behalf of Consumers Energy, files a 20-year license renewal application with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

2006: TBD

2007: Entergy signs closing agreement on April 11, 2007 to assume ownership of Palisades Power Plant.

Frequently Asked Questions

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About Entergy

For more information on Entergy Corporation, please click here to visit our home page.