Are there nuclear reactors in Michigan?
Michigan’s four functioning nuclear reactors – Fermi 2, D.C. Cook Units 1 and 2, and Palisades, supply Michigan with nearly 30 percent of its total electric power supply.
Is there nuclear waste in Lake Michigan?
Michigan Congressmen in the U.S. House of Representatives are opposed to the Canadian government storing nuclear waste near the shores of the Great Lakes. However, Michigan already has nuclear waste near the shorelines of the state. Yet there are currently four nuclear sites on the Michigan shores.
Is Lake Michigan radioactive?
Radioactive water was released into Lake Michigan before Palisades nuclear plant shutdown Sunday. But by the time the water reached the lake, the level of radioactivity had been diluted to the point where it did not represent a health or safety risk, a spokeswoman for the NRC said.
How much does a molten salt reactor cost?
MSR reactors replace such delicate systems with rugged ones: gravity, heat, and the most basic chemical properties of their materials. Then, there are the costs. Transatomic claims their reactor will be capable of pumping out 500 megawatts for a total initial cost of about $1.7 billion.
Are there coal plants in Michigan?
In 2019, Michigan had a total summer capacity of 29,457 MW through all of its power plants, and a net generation of 116,701 GWh….Coal power stations.
| Plant | Monroe Power Plant |
|---|---|
| Location | Monroe |
| Power (MW) | 3280 |
| Notes | Scheduled for closure in 2040. |
Where are the nuclear power plants in Michigan located?
Nuclear power stations
| Plant | Location | Power (MW) |
|---|---|---|
| Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station (Unit 2) | Monroe | 1098 |
| Donald C. Cook Nuclear Power Plant | Bridgman | 2110 |
| Palisades Nuclear Power Plant | South Haven | 800 |
What is done with spent nuclear fuel?
Used nuclear fuel can be recycled to make new fuel and byproducts. More than 90% of its potential energy still remains in the fuel, even after five years of operation in a reactor. The United States does not currently recycle used nuclear fuel but foreign countries, such as France, do.
How many nuclear power plants are on Lake Michigan?
four nuclear reactors
Of those, four nuclear reactors are at three generating stations on two sites along the south shore of Lake Ontario, four reactors are at three sites on the shores of Lake Erie, and nine reactors are at six sites on the shores of Lake Michigan.
What is a molten salt reactor (MSR)?
Firstly what is a molten salt reactor (MSR)? It is a class of nuclear fission reactor where the primary coolant and/or the fuel is a molten salt mixture. There are several different designs, all looking to bring small modular reactors (SMR) to market. MSR has significant advantages over traditional nuclear reactors.
Which country is leading the research on molten salt reactors?
Global research is currently led by China. Some have solid fuel similar to HTR fuel, others have fuel dissolved in the molten salt coolant. Molten salt reactors (MSRs) use molten fluoride salts as primary coolant, at low pressure. This itself is not a radical departure when the fuel is solid and fixed.
What is the temperature of molten salt breeder reactor?
It reached temperatures as high as 650 °C and achieved the equivalent of about 1.5 years of full power operation. The culmination of the ORNL research during the 1970–1976 timeframe resulted in a molten salt breeder reactor (MSBR) design. Fuel was to be LiF-BeF 2 -ThF 4 -UF 4 (72-16-12-0.4) with graphite moderator.
What are the design challenges of MSR nuclear reactors?
Relevant design challenges include the corrosivity of hot salts and the changing chemical composition of the salt as it is transmuted by reactor radiation. MSR cost estimations are uncertain but comparable to or cheaper than LWRs.