- Since Consumers Energy does not want to keep alive the Campbell plant, the Campbell site should be purchased from Consumers Energy as described at https://savethecampbell.com/proposed-multi-party-purchase-of-consumers-energys-share-of-the-campbell-if-it-can-be-done-at-the-right-price-facilitated-by-ottawa-county/ .
- Remediation of the fly ash deposits at the Campbell site should continue. See https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ashcor-and-consumers-energy-announce-coal-ash-remediation-at-jh-campbell-power-plant-302342692.html . New ones should not be added, but by-products should be used as produced.
- Michigan law should be amended to allow for carbon capture credit in the case of coal plants. See https://savethecampbell.com/positive-response-to-consider-michigan-law-amendment-regarding-coal-electric-generation-when-approached-in-an-environmentally-response-manner/ .
- IF it is deemed necessary, a carbon capture component could be added to Campbell operations. Since CO2 is fungible, the most economic route would likely be to pay for it be captured in its necessary equivalent at a site elsewhere. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_capture_and_storage . It is likely the Federal Government would help financially support this. (I agree with the scientists affiliated with the CO2 Coalition [see https://co2coalition.org/] that it is currently unnecessary.)
- A fourth unit at the Campbell site should be considered. It would be equipped with the latest anti-polluting equipment like Unit 3 was. Additionally or alternatively, upgrading Units 1 and 2 and placing the latest anti-polluting equipment on them should be considered. These actions would provide the additional electric needed so that Ottawa County can be a hub for AI data center computing.
- Space in the Campbell complex should be leased for a state-of-the-art AI data computing center, utilizing the electric from the Campbell complex and water for cooling from nearby Lake Michigan or inland water. The heated water from the data center should be considered to generate electric in the Campbell complex. See https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiehailstone/2024/09/13/what-can-be-done-about-power-hungry-and-thirsty-data-centers/ .
- Instead of a grid energy storage facility at the Campbell site, one would be built at the Palisades site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grid_energy_storage . This facility can utilize the excess electric on the grid, not only generated from solar and wind, but also from the Campbell plant. It should be investigated whether this would allow for a new AI data center on the Palisades campus.
- The Palisades nuclear reactor would remain shut down until there is a viable plan for it to restart in a safe, economic, and reliable way. So far, the plan has failed all three tests. See https://savethecampbell.com/former-lead-engineer-at-palisades-plant-says-it-is-unfit-for-quick-restart/ .
- New nuclear reactors at the Palisades site would be delayed until there is a viable plan for an economic, commercially-size new nuclear reactor. So far no such plan has been put forth. All are much more expensive than gas and coal alternatives for baseload electric. We should be pragmatic in our approach to energy.
February 14, 2025February 14, 2025
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