COURTESY PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION
PLYMOUTH – Whether the decommissioning of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station gets delayed could depend on a permit appeal.
Owner of the station, Holtec International, said at the most recent citizen advisory meeting that the plan is currently on track to begin demolition in 2031 at the earliest.
But, that timeline hinges on a successful appeal for a state permit to discharge wastewater from the process into Cape Cod Bay, which the state Department of Environmental Protection has so far denied.
Holtec Representative David Noyes, when asked what would happen should the appeal be rejected, said they would make adjustments to that schedule.
Meanwhile, Gov. Marua Healey’s administration has expressed interest in kickstarting alternative energy in the state to move away from fossil fuels, including investing in nuclear energy.
Before its retirement in 2017, Pilgrim Station was the last nuclear energy station in the state.
Governor Healey has filed the Energy Affordability, Independence and Innovation Act with the stated goal of bringing down costs for residents and businesses.
According to Healey’s office, one of the things the legislation does is reduce barriers to new nuclear technologies, including Holtec’s own SMR-300 modular system.
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