American Electric Power (AEP), I&M's parent company, is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with about 29,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity. The D.C. Cook Nuclear Plant, owned and safely operated by AEP, is part of that diverse mix producing reliable energy powering I&M's communities. 

Below are ten interesting facts to know about the Cook Nuclear Plant and how it powers the lives of I&M customers and beyond.

1. Cook Plant employs approximately 1,000 people across many departments including operators, engineers, welders, pipefitters, electricians, laborers, maintenance, chemists, environmentalists, armed security, radiation protection, emergency planning, training instructors, financial analysts, legal and regulatory and many others.
2. Two Westinghouse pressurized water reactors that are licensed to operate until 2034 and 2037 generate power at the plant. At full power, both reactors produce a combined 2,360 megawatts (MW) of electricity which is enough to power to approximately 1.5 million homes - or a city the size of Detroit, Mich.
3. The pressurized water reactors are used to create high-pressure steam inside eight steam generators (four on each reactor). The steam created by the steam generators is used to turn turbine blades which power a generator. There are two high-pressure turbines and six low-pressure turbines in total (four turbines on each unit).
4. The plant uses uranium dioxide pellets enriched with Uranium-235 inside the reactor to heat the water that generates the steam powering the turbine generator. They are 50-million fuel pellets in the reactor. One pellet of Uranium-235 is the size of a Tootsie Roll candy.
5. The reactors are refueled every 18 months. The scheduled refueling occur during spring and fall when energy demand is lowest. Workers also take advantage of the focused outage and conduct inspections and perform maintenance.
6. Cook Nuclear Plant uses a robust, high-tech security system to protect the physical plant, its cyber assets and our communities 24/7.
7. In the United States, commercial nuclear power plants are required to have fire brigades to prevent, respond and extinguish a potential fire. Cook Nuclear Plant is one of only three U.S. nuclear plants to have a full-time dedicated fire brigade. Fire represents the highest risk for damage to plant equipment designed to keep the nuclear reactor core cool. Most of the fire brigade members also serve on their hometown fire departments when not working at the plant. 

   

8. The plant is named for the late Donald C. Cook. He was born in Michigan and worked at AEP for 23 years. Cook was AEP's chairman when he retired in 1976. Unit 1 generated its first electricity in February and was placed in commercial operation in August 1975. Construction of Unit 2 was completed in late 1977 and it was placed in commercial service on July 1, 1978.
9. The plant is located on a 650-acre wildlife preserve near Bridgman, Mich. It is in the Grand Marais Embayment along Lake Michigan. This tract was formed by glaciers and is part of the world's largest formation of freshwater dunes. Employees often see a number of wildlife including deer and bald eagles.
10. I&M and the Cook Nuclear Plant take a great deal of pride in helping our community. From corporate sponsorships to volunteering to organizing blood drives, Cook Plant employees are involved. The Heart of Cook Grant Program provides an opportunity for local non-profit organizations to submit applications for mini grants of $500, or large grants up to $10,000. This program is managed and available through Berrien Community Foundation with the support of a Cook Plant employee lead committee. This committee reviews all the grant applications collected by the BCF and awards area non-profits more than $70,000 annually.

In 2024, I&M generated more than 87% of our energy from emission-free sources, including solar, wind, hydro and the Cook Nuclear Plant. Our programas de energía eficiente ayudan a reducir el uso de energía de los clientes, lo que también reduce la demanda de generación de electricidad. Para 2028, planeamos cuadruplicar nuestros recursos de energía limpia.