KEWAUNEE COUNTY (WLUK) — Nuclear power may return to the site of the former Kewaunee Power Station.
According to EnergySolutions, the company which owns the site, “a major licensing action for new nuclear generation” is expected to be filed soon.
Nuclear power may return to the site of the former Kewaunee Power Station. (WLUK)
The Kewaunee Power Station sits on the shores of Lake Michigan in the town of Carlton, between Kewaunee and Two Rivers. It first began operations in 1974 and the plant was formally closed in May 2013.
13 years after it ceased operations, the property’s new owner has filed a notice of intent with the federal U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Energy Solutions plans to submit an application to reopen the site for nuclear energy production.
“A structured, multi-phase project is being carried out that includes initial planning and scoping activities. In-depth studies are being conducted that will support the application to demonstrate the site’s suitability for new nuclear construction. This is a prerequisite to the development and securing of NRC approvals for this project,” a news release states.
“This is an important milestone in moving towards the next generation of nuclear power in Wisconsin in partnership with WEC Energy Group,” said Ken Robuck, president and CEO of EnergySolutions.
As communicated when we announced this initiative in May of 2025, the need for reliable, carbon-free power has never been greater. We have assembled an experienced team that brings environmental compliance, nuclear licensing and project management expertise to this project at a time new nuclear generation in Wisconsin is essential.
State Rep. Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers, recently co-authored legislation that incentivizes nuclear power plants to be built in Wisconsin.
“I think we’re entering a new day where nuclear power is going to be more widely accepted, more widely embraced, and I think this is just the first step,” Sortwell said.
The bill would allow for two decades worth of tax credits to go to companies looking to build new nuclear plants. Sortwell said a nuclear power plant in Kewaunee County would have a big economic impact.
“You can make a really great living, making really good money at these nuclear power plants,” Sortwell said.
Decommissioning is underway at the Kewaunee nuclear power plant. Crews are currently working through phase two which started at the beginning of the year and could take 15-18 months to complete. The containment building will come down as part of phase four. (WLUK)
Sortwell says help from tax credits is key because of the high cost to build these plants. However, not everyone is on board with the expansion of nuclear power or this new project.
“It’s important for people to realize that nuclear power is the most expensive way to produce energy in Wisconsin by far,” Clean Wisconsin Communications Director Amy Barrilleaux said.
Barrilleaux also worries about the environmental impacts. She said nuclear waste discharges onto the shore of Lake Michigan, which is costly to clean up.
In the past, EnergySolutions has said it’s looking into the option of building an integral molten salt reactor on the site. Molten salt reactors use liquid fuel mixed into hot salt instead of solid fuel rods. This allows nuclear plants to operate at low pressure.
“That gives us good efficiency, so good electricity production and the other thing is, it’s a very safe system. So, there’s no big pressure boundary. It’s relatively easy to keep the system cool and that leads to a simplified design,” UW-Madison Assistant Professor of Nuclear Engineering Ben Lindley said.
Lindley said there are no other commercial MSRs in the U.S. He said a challenge could be reliability due to potential maintenance issues.
The nuclear power plant won’t be fully decommissioned until at least 2031. The NRC has a website which tracks developments for the site.
FOX 11 asked EnergySolutions for an interview Thursday, but no one from the company was available. We’re still hoping to have our questions answered, including: Would parts of the old nuclear plant structure be used for the new one? And what is the timeline for the project?