Yesterday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission kicked off an environmental review of an application to add two small modular reactors at the Palisades Energy Center in Covert, Michigan, putting the long-quiet lakeshore plant back in the spotlight. The filing, known as the Pioneer project, seeks a phased construction permit and a limited work authorization for two SMR-300 units. The decision starts a formal federal scoping process and brings fresh scrutiny to Holtec’s bid to restart and expand the Palisades site.
According to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the agency has published a notice inviting public comment on the environmental issues the NRC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should consider. The advisory says the scoping comment period will remain open through July 15 and points to local repositories where the application and its environmental report can be reviewed.
NucNet reported that the filing was submitted by Palisades SMR, LLC, a Holtec subsidiary, and covers two units dubbed Pioneer 1 and Pioneer 2. The Federal Register record shows Part 1 of the phased construction permit application was submitted on December 31, 2025. The application requests authorization for certain early construction activities under a limited work authorization framework.
Holtec's materials describe the units as SMR-300 reactors and say Pioneer 1 and Pioneer 2 together would deliver roughly 680 MW of clean, baseload power to the region. Holtec has positioned the Palisades site as a first-of-a-kind deployment for its SMR-300 design and has highlighted partnerships with global engineering firms on the program.
The project has federal backing: the U.S. Department of Energy selected Holtec for up to $400 million in cost-shared funding to advance initial U.S. SMR deployments, an award the company says is critical to Pioneer. The Department of Energy framed the funding as part of a broader push to accelerate advanced nuclear technologies and the domestic supply chain, so Palisades is now sitting at the intersection of local concern and national energy policy.
Timeline: What the Review Will Cover
The NRC's project page lays out a phased review for the site. The agency has assigned docket numbers for the two units and anticipates a Draft Environmental Impact Statement later this year and a Final EIS next spring. NRC shows target dates for a draft EIS around October 31 and a final EIS in March, reflecting the agency's step-by-step schedule for safety and environmental analysis. The staff may request additional information from the applicant as the technical review proceeds, so the paperwork pile is not likely to get smaller anytime soon.
How Locals Can Weigh In
The Federal Register notice and the regulations docket explain how to submit written comments and petitions to intervene; the scoping comment period runs through July 15. See the Federal Register notice or submit comments via Regulations.gov (search Docket ID NRC-2026-0265). Paper copies of the application and environmental report are available for local review at public libraries in South Haven and St. Joseph; check library hours before visiting unless you enjoy staring at locked doors.
For Covert and nearby lakeshore communities, the review is a formal moment to press questions about water use, shoreline effects, and long-term waste management into the federal record. The NRC's phased timeline means any authorization for early construction or a full construction permit is still months away, giving residents, local officials, and environmental groups time to sift through filings, sharpen their questions, and weigh in. We will continue monitoring filings and any announced public meetings as the review moves forward.
