Cook Nuclear Plant

Bill Downey, Chief Communications Officer for the Cook Nuclear Plant, and Kelly Ferneau, Chief Nuclear Officer for Cook, were our guests on 9/22/26. Kelly was the main presenter and she told us that her job is to ensure the safe operation of Cook Nuclear Plant.

The Plant has 2 nuclear reactors that supply power to 1.5 million homes and businesses in Michigan and Indiana (40% Mich. and 60% Ind.).  Its performance is graded by 2 different nuclear agencies, and they have received the highest ratings possible. 

The Plant opened in 1975, and the reactors are licensed to run until 1934 and 1937. They will request an extension of 20 years to those dates and think the plant should be able to run another 20 years beyond that, for a total of 100 years of operation! 

Kelly thanked us for our club’s community service. She spoke for a short while on the Cook Plant’s community donations. The Cook Plant Foundation gives $400, 000 to local non-profits and the Heart of Cook grants give out $80,000 annually.