Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is objecting to the proposed transfer of the nuclear waste storage facility at the site of the old Big Rock nuclear plant north of Charlevoix. She says the proposed buyer doesn’t have adequate financial resources and has underestimated decommissioning costs. The deal also involves the Palisades Nuclear plant, which is scheduled to be shut down for a final time next year. Both sites are now owned by Entergy. The objections come in proceedings before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Holtec International says nuclear waste from both sites will be moved to the Yucca Mountain permanent nuclear waste facility in Nevada. Nessel says ongoing controversy over use of that site makes that outcome far from certain and that Holtec “underestimates the license termination, site restoration, and spent fuel management liabilities” at both sites.
Nessel is seeking a hearing before the NRC to address the issues.
A prior version of this story first appeared on WVBI.
