(WWJ) – Michigan is home to three of the world’s 400-some nuclear power stations. When all three are up and running, Michigan gets about 30% of its energy from nuclear sources.
But for the last year, the Palisades plant near South Haven along Lake Michigan has been shuttered, leaving only the Fermi II plant in Monroe County and Cook plant in Southwest Michigan.
As some are looking to bring back the Palisades, WWJ’s Zach Clark takes a look on a new Daily J podcast at what role nuclear energy plays in a cleaner future.
Dr. Todd Allen, chair of the Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences Department at the University of Michigan, says nuclear reactions give off over a million times more energy than a typical chemical reaction, giving off a “tremendous” amount of energy from a “very small amount of material.”
Though the efficiency is a clear positive, Allen says we need to find better solutions for storing nuclear waste, as it takes thousands of years to lose radioactive status.
Rep. Graham Filler is one Michigan lawmaker advocating for not only reopening Palisades, but more nuclear energy in the future. About halfway through his second term, Filler says he began looking into nuclear energy and whether it could lead to lower rates and more reliable energy.
“The answer I found was a resounding ‘yes,’” he said. “It’s clean, it’s reliable, you can turn it up, you can get the reactor running fast, you can turn it down a little bit, it’s incredibly good for the environment because it doesn’t release anything into the air, and the tiny, tiny amount of waste sits there in massively protected containers.”
With unmatched efficiency, Filler and Allen say the benefits of nuclear energy far outweigh the risks. But do the bulk of Michiganders agree?
Want more of The Daily J? Just text WWJ to 20357 to get the podcast delivered to your phone or tablet for free, every Monday-Friday. And be sure to subscribe. Msg and data rates apply. Or, just search for The Daily J and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Related
Related
