Pioneer Units 1 and 2 Limited Work Authorization Application

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On this page:

• Project Overview
• Availability of the NRC’s Preliminary No Historic Properties Affected Determination for the Palisades SMR, LLC Exemption Request
• Key Events and Milestones
• Contacts

For additional detail, see the following related pages:

• Environmental Impact Statement

Project Overview

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is currently engaged in review activities for the first part of a phased construction permit application, including a limited work authorization request, from Palisades SMR, LLC, for a dual-unit SMR-300 plant located at the Palisades Energy Center in Covert, Michigan.  The units are individually named Pioneer Unit 1 and Pioneer Unit 2.

Application docket numbers: 05000616 and 05000617.

Additional information on pre-application activities can be obtained from ADAMS using a search by docket number 99902049.

Availability of the NRC’s Preliminary No Historic Properties Affected Determination for the Palisades SMR, LLC Exemption Request

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is conducting a Section 106 consultation under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA) for an exemption request from the requirements in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.10(c) to allow Palisades SMR, LLC (Palisades SMR) to conduct certain construction activities. The exemption, if approved, would allow for construction of support of excavation (SOE) walls during the excavation for the dual-unit SMR-300 plant prior to NRC issuance of a limited work authorization (LWA), if approved. The SOE walls would remain in place as permanent components of the completed facility. The exemption request was submitted by SMR, LLC on behalf of Palisades SMR, a Holtec International company, in support of the planned construction of two Holtec SMR-300 reactors, designated Pioneer Units 1 and 2, at the Palisades Energy Center (PEC) site in Covert Township, Van Buren County, Michigan. The exemption request is available online through the NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML25365A989 (Enclosure IV, Attachment A, Exemption 1).

Palisades SMR included the exemption request with Part 1 of the phased construction permit (CP) application for Pioneer Units 1 and 2. Palisades SMR has requested that the NRC consider and approve the exemption independently of, and prior to, completion of the NRC’s review of the remainder of Part 1 of the phased CP application, which includes the LWA application and two other exemption requests. 

Section 106 implementing regulations at 36 CFR 800.2(d)(2) direct the Federal agencies to provide the public with information about its undertaking and its effects on historic properties, including seeking comments and input from the public. 

The NRC staff is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed action (i.e. requested Exemption 1) that is planned to be issued in August 2026. The Area of Potential Effects for the proposed action/undertaking is approximately 9 acres within the 432-acre PEC site. The NRC’s analysis includes a 1 mile (1.6 kilometer) buffer to account for potential offsite impacts to historic properties, if present.

The NRC is conducting a review to evaluate potential impacts to historic properties, as required by Section 106 of the NHPA. NRC’s review included the assessment of Palisades SMR LLC’s exemption request, their identification of historic and cultural resources, historic properties, and an evaluation of potential impacts resulting from the proposed undertaking. NRC staff has initiated consultation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, and 32 Federally Recognized Tribes. 

In accordance with the NRC’s January 9, 2017, Tribal Policy Statement (82 FR 2402), the NRC afforded State-recognized Tribes the opportunity to comment on the preliminary No Historic Properties Affected determination. 

Based on the staff’s review of Palisades SMR’s environmental report portion of the application, the archaeological and architectural surveys conducted by their contractor, and the staff’s independent assessment, the NRC staff has made the preliminary determination that the undertaking will result in No Historic Properties Affected, as defined in 36 CFR 800.4(d)(1). This determination is distinct from the NRC’s NHPA consultation, initiated June 25, 2026, for the phased CP undertaking. 

Preliminary No Historic Properties Affected Determination and Draft Historic and Cultural Resources Section – July 2026 (ML26194A201)

The NRC staff is seeking comments on its Preliminary Section 106 finding by August 15, 2026. Comments may be submitted to:

• Jennifer Davis, Archaeologist – Jennifer.Davis@nrc.gov
• Robert Hoffman, Senior Environmental Project Manager – Robert.Hoffman@nrc.gov

Key Events and Milestones

Contacts