COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Holtec International has applied for a federal grant under the Civil Nuclear Credit program to keep the Palisades Nuclear Facility near South Haven operating, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced.

The plant’s former owner, Entergy, closed the plant on May 20, 11 days before the planned May 31 shutdown, out of an abundance of caution for the control rod drive seal. The plan to shut down the power plant was first announced in 2017 after the station’s contract with Consumers Energy expired.

The plant was sold to Holtec Decommissioning International in June 2022.

On Friday, Whitmer sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy in support of the grant that would protect the 600 high-paying jobs at the plant and the additional 1,100 jobs throughout the community.

“Keeping Palisades open will keep energy costs low, shore up domestic energy production, and increase Michigan’s competitiveness for future economic development,” she said in the letter. “While we await a final decision from the Department of Energy, we will continue efforts at the state level to create and protect good-paying jobs, compete for more economic development opportunities, and boost domestic energy production.”