Damaged nuclear fuel assembly retrieved but criticism of Palisades restart plan escalates
A nuclear fuel assembly that had tipped over was successfully retrieved from the soon-to-be-restarted Palisades nuclear reactor in Michigan but controversy over the restart has been escalated to Congress. On Wednesday, owners of the Holtec International reactor said “technical ingenuity” would allow efforts to resume operations at the plant to continue. “When we encounter a challenge, what…
A nuclear fuel assembly that had tipped over at the soon-to-be-restarted Palisades nuclear reactor in Michigan was successfully retrieved. However, controversy over the restart has escalated to Congress. Holtec International, the owners of the reactor, stated that "technical ingenuity" would allow them to continue operations. Fadi Diya, Holtec's chief nuclear officer, emphasized their commitment to safety, technical rigor, and teamwork.
The Palisades reactor, bought by Holtec after being decommissioned in 2022, has become a symbol of a US nuclear energy renaissance driven by the energy needs of artificial intelligence data centers. Efforts to restart the reactor in Covert, Michigan, faced a setback in August when a fuel assembly tipped over during fuelling, though no radiation was released, according to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
The NRC has raised concerns about the plant's work culture and safety practices. Holtec has acknowledged these issues and is taking steps to address them. Nuclear engineer Arnie Gundersen criticized the restart, stating that it is unsafe given Holtec's lack of nuclear operating experience. Michigan's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer has supported the restart efforts, but safety concerns have been raised.
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