Discover the Largest Nuclear Power Plant in Michigan (And What Lives Around It)

Enrico Fermi was a physicist that proved neutrons could split atoms in the 1930s. Therefore, by 1942, he led a team that created the first nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago. Furthermore, this achievement allowed the United States to make the first atomic bomb, ultimately ending World War II. Today, nuclear energy is to thank for a significant part of the world’s electrical power. In addition, it is also used in radioactive materials meant for medical, agricultural, and industrial applications, including cancer therapy and food preservation. That is why the largest nuclear power plant in Michigan is named after Enrico Fermi.

The Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station is located on the shore of Lake Erie, close to Monroe, Michigan. In addition, this power plant sits on around 1,000 acres and is operated by DTE Energy Electric Company and owned by DTE Energy, its parent company. Therefore, you can find this nuclear-generating station is located halfway between Toledo, OH, and Detroit, MI.

When Was the Largest Nuclear Powerplant in Michigan Built?

There are two units on this 1,000-acre site. Firstly, unit one’s construction began on August 4, 1956, and on August 23, 1963, it reached its first criticality. Secondly, unit two’s construction permit was authorized on September 26, 1972, and reached its first criticality on June 21, 1985. Finally, on November 18, 1988, it was declared commercial.

How Much Energy Does the Largest Nuclear Powerplant in Michigan Produce?

Year	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
2001	837,265	749,406	826,737	706,549	820,950	788,950	807,415	809,566	789,928	682,435	4,215	732,887	8,556,303
2002	754,709	747,777	787,517	748,342	803,368	782,676	809,054	812,779	761,983	750,145	809,883	732,979	9,301,212
2003	792,301	739,514	715,929	—	—	—	815,050	648,240	634,507	—	808,049	—	5,153,590
2004	806,600	781,335	820,299	800,541	819,994	788,165	798,836	559,293	690,903	823,176	120,305	639,121	8,448,568
2005	638,981	580,714	836,423	795,663	824,986	651,229	382,163	808,510	787,983	817,561	803,252	829,546	8,757,011
2006	826,481	741,745	628,282	-4,797	351,364	575,267	298,834	778,793	795,729	834,917	811,793	839,455	7,477,863
2007	834,889	758,769	833,817	803,071	824,803	787,182	809,715	808,989	733,388	-4,605	295,390	828,414	8,313,822
2008	824,297	686,958	832,266	801,327	823,731	782,504	808,535	812,030	784,019	825,674	803,223	829,098	9,613,662
2009	832,010	738,825	683,426	-6,302	790,300	701,696	808,091	804,657	753,847	-12,431	482,374	829,396	7,405,889
2010	826,918	749,957	623,748	793,338	813,870	479,778	795,329	794,316	779,145	618,650	-5,398	471,127	7,740,778
2011	534,396	333,482	838,519	806,518	817,992	785,387	801,893	800,318	785,802	826,292	735,304	828,193	8,894,096
2012	834,626	777,830	656,202	-4,115	653,358	600,935	38,178	523,993	419,890	538,867	96,090	-12,871	5,122,983
2013	537,089	489,377	529,843	432,896	357,798	512,759	522,457	526,841	275,104	789,221	791,568	834,597	6,599,550
2014	758,359	199,959	-7,797	418,957	836,073	803,339	833,048	831,399	675,631	824,570	829,874	790,021	7,793,433
2015	858,327	773,618	488,848	717,693	839,345	800,498	827,565	824,871	312,040	-4,519	36,547	856,696	7,331,529
2016	852,242	777,977	810,002	775,356	528,957	795,545	820,778	735,913	781,448	843,802	579,598	849,803	9,151,421
2017	835,785	703,553	456,062	257,629	812,375	813,616	838,126	837,585	815,266	844,960	745,390	736,114	8,696,461
2018	852,280	769,469	864,758	355,038	548,306	804,821	801,144	829,597	556,210	81,351	822,071	135,851	7,420,896
2019	785,062	778,142	854,968	824,948	843,326	801,898	829,239	834,287	806,165	849,249	833,675	845,190	9,886,149
2020	835,210	789,426	542,909	-4,083	-4,972	-10,804	-12,240	605,251	816,375	826,543	824,985	861,768	6,070,368
2021	862,146	778,026	848,825	854,935	606,825	806,004	720,959	823,139	804,551	833,478	816,935	613,543	9,369,366
2022	447,884	61,614	-4,563	-4,680	428,119	708,210	834,963	835,493	807,914	854,823			4,969,777

Human Population Around the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station

Meanwhile, a census taken in 2010 unveiled that there was a population of 4,799,526 within a 50-mile radius of the largest nuclear power plant in Michigan. What’s more, this number decreased by 3.4% in ten years. Currently, the cities within a 50-mile radius of the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station are Toledo, OH (29 miles from the nuclear power plant) and Detroit, MI (34 miles from the nuclear power plant). In addition, another city within the 50 miles is Windsor, Ontario, Canada (36 miles from the nuclear power plant).

Wildlife Found Around the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station

Monroe, MI, is an 18 min drive to the largest nuclear power plant in Michigan and is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including:

Waterfowl
Fish
Gamefish
Raptors
Turtles
Mammals
Amphibians

In fact, during a hike or canoe trip down the river, someone can easily spot a garter snake catching some sun on a rock, a white bass in the water, a muskrat filling up on seaweed, snapping turtles, or a great blue heron standing on the shore.

Where Is Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station Located on a Map?

As mentioned before, Enrico Fermi Nuclear Generating Station is along Lake Erie in Michigan, close to Monroe. It is halfway between Toledo, OH, and Detroit, MI, and takes up close to 1,000 acres. There are 4.7 million people living within a 50-mile radius of the largest nuclear power plant in Michigan.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

Chanel Coetzee

Chanel Coetzee is a writer at A-Z Animals, primarily focusing on big cats, dogs, and travel. Chanel has been writing and researching about animals for over 10 years. She has also worked closely with big cats like lions, cheetahs, leopards, and tigers at a rescue and rehabilitation center in South Africa since 2009. As a resident of Cape Town, South Africa, Chanel enjoys beach walks with her Stafford bull terrier and traveling off the beaten path.

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