Nuclear Regulatory Commission to answer questions about Palisades

This Wednesday the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a public meeting to discuss safety violations at the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in South Haven.

The plant had five unplanned shutdowns last year. As a result, the NRC downgraded the plant’s safety performance rating. Now it’s one of only four plants in the country with such a bad safety rating.

“It is not a routine meeting for the agency,” said NRC spokeswoman Viktoria Mitlyng. She says it’s uncommon for a nuclear plant to have so many safety violations in one year.

“Anticipating that there may be confusion, there may be concern, there may be anxiety; we’re providing people with the opportunity to come and talk to us,” Mitlyng said.

Mitlyng says anyone with questions or concerns about the plant should attend the meeting Wednesday night. Mitlyng insists the plant is operating safety.

“If at any point we feel that the plant isn’t operating properly we will not hesitate to shut it down,” Mitlyng said.

NRC inspectors stationed at Palisades and high ranking NRC officials will be there. Officials from Entergy Nuclear Operations, the company that operates the Palisades plant, declined an invitation to attend.

The meeting will run from 6 p.m. to -8:30 p.m. at the Beach Haven Event Center, 10420 M-140 in South Haven.