Incident at Palisades nuclear reactor under review by NRC

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is investigating an incident involving a fuel assembly at the Palisades nuclear reactor in Covert, Michigan. According to Viktoria Mitlyng, an NRC spokeswoman, there was no radiological release and no workers or the public were affected. The Palisades reactor was decommissioned in 2022, but the need for more energy for AI data centers has sparked hopes of a potential reopening.

Ms. Mitlyng stated that a tipped fuel assembly incident at the plant did not need to be reported to the NRC, and the watchdog did not need to inform the public. The NRC confirmed they will continue monitoring the situation, including all fuel-handling work, and Holtec, the reactor's owner, has indicated they plan to submit a license amendment for the retrieval process, which the agency will evaluate thoroughly.

Holtec International, which bought Palisades in 2022, had previously stated their intention to restart the plant this year or early in 2027. However, they have not yet responded to The National's request for comment. The reactor has recently cleared several regulatory hurdles, with Holtec posting pictures of nuclear fuel bundles being loaded into the reactor vessel last August.

This follows over two years of inspections, maintenance, refurbishments, testing, and equipment upgrades aimed at returning the plant to safe and reliable operation. The Palisades reactor first went online in 1971, but its final 15 years were marked by safety concerns. A 2012 NRC report highlighted issues with the work culture at the plant, and in 2016, security workers were placed on leave for failing to follow fire prevention protocols.

Additionally, a worker fell into a pool of water at the plant in 2022, although they were not seriously injured.