COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — An energy company is delaying the closure of the Palisades nuclear power plant in southwestern Michigan by four years until spring of 2022.
The announcement Thursday from New Orleans-based Entergy Corp. came after the Michigan Public Service Commission said last week that Consumers Energy could opt out of buying power from the plant but couldn’t recover all of the $172 million requested as part of the deal.
Entergy says Consumers Energy would have been able to recover $136.6 million.
The plant was built by Jackson-based Consumers, which sold it to Entergy in 2007. Entergy last year announced plans to permanently close Palisades in 2018, but now the companies plan to continue an existing power purchase agreement that runs until 2022.
Consumers says in a statement it’s the “best path forward.”
In a statement, @RepFredUpton celebrates the decision to extend Palisades’ life. pic.twitter.com/otD8fNUcfM
— The Herald-Palladium (@HeraldPalladium) September 28, 2017