(UNDATED) – A plan has been introduced that would re-open the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Covert.

On Friday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy, announcing her support of Holtec International’s application for a federal grant under the Civil Nuclear Credit Program that would save the plant.

In the letter, Whitmer says that keeping the Palisades Plant open would help to keep energy costs low, shore up domestic energy production and increase Michigan’s competitiveness for future economic development. Whitmer says she is proud to write in support of Holtec International’s application, which if granted, would empower the State to keep fighting for economic opportunity for Southwest Michigan and protect 1,700 local jobs.

Palisades is a union plant located in Covert that when open, employed 600 workers who made an average of $117,845. The plant also supported over 1,100 additional local jobs, produced more than 800 megawatts of power and generated $363 million in regional economic development every year.

Palisades’ former owner, Entergy, decided on May 20 to close plant early, instead of the planned May 31 shutdown, saying it was due to the performance of a control rod drive seal. The plant closed on May 20, when its current fuel supply ran out and their power purchase agreement with Consumers Energy expired.

Palisades was sold to Holtec Decommissioning International in June 2022.