{
  "id": 13179516,
  "title": "Palisades proposes method to retrieve 'tipped nuclear fuel assembly', but concerns remain",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/palisades-proposes-method-to-retrieve-tipped-nuclear-fuel-assembly-13179516",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-09T18:35:55.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/future/technology/2026/10/09/palisades-nuclear-reactor-tipped-fuel-assembly/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A dispute is emerging regarding the method to recover a fuel assembly that has tipped over at the soon-to-be revived Palisades nuclear reactor in Michigan. The reactor, which ceased operations in 2022 but has been acquired by Holtec International, has become emblematic of the surge in nuclear energy spurred by advancements in artificial intelligence and data centers within the United States. Restarting the reactor in Covert, Michigan, faced a setback on August 30, when according to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), one of the fuel assemblies became misaligned during fuel loading, prompting a temporary suspension of the restart process. The NRC stated that no radioactive contamination occurred during the incident. However, this incident has raised concerns about the unconventional approach to restarting a decommissioned nuclear reactor, often referred to as \"zombie reactors.\" According to publicly available documents and communications between Palisades employees and the NRC, Holtec International has suggested a procedure for retrieving the displaced fuel. In their submissions to the NRC, Holtec stated that the fuel rods have \"maintained the integrity of their primary fission product barrier.\" The company also mentioned that the fuel assembly is positioned at a 30-degree angle \"relative to the core plate.\" In their request, Holtec suggested utilizing a custom-built recovery tool to lift the tilted assembly and a protective container to support and encase it during its transfer from the reactor core to the spent fuel pool. However, environmental advocacy group Don t Waste Michigan has expressed skepticism towards Holtec's proposal. The non-profit organization expressed doubt, stating, \"This has never been accomplished anywhere, and Holtec has never operated a nuclear power plant.\" The NRC has not yet decided whether to approve Holtec's proposed solution. \"The risk surrounding Palisades' fuel retrieval is that highly irradiated fuel will be suspended outside of water in the plant atmosphere for up to 133 hours,\" Don t Waste Michigan warned. \"This will be a highly radioactively contaminated process.\" Despite Holtec's claim that the company is actively investigating the cause of the tipped fuel assembly, critics often point to the reactor's history of controversies. Prior to its acquisition by Holtec, a 2012 NRC report highlighted safety concerns at Palisades, where safety concerns were frequently disregarded. In 2016, security personnel at the reactor were temporarily removed due to their failure to adhere to fire-prevention protocols. Around a year ago, a worker at Palisades fell into a pool of water from a refueling bridge, although they were not seriously injured. Arnie Gundersen, a nuclear engineer and expert advisor for Don t Waste Michigan, expressed concerns about Holtec's plans to restart the reactor. Gundersen stated, \"It is evident that they desire approval to remove the tilted fuel bundle in order to expedite refueling. They fail to provide a root cause analysis to ensure the incident cannot recur and have not assessed any potential damage within the reactor caused by the fuel bundle.\" Holtec, however, has previously stated that the company is actively identifying the reason for the fuel assembly tipping and intends to carry out any required corrective actions.",
  "summary": "A battle is brewing over how to retrieve a tipped fuel assembly at the soon-to-be-restarted Palisades nuclear reactor in Michigan. The reactor, which closed in 2022 but was purchased by Holtec International, has become a poster child for an AI and data centre-induced nuclear energy renaissance in the US. Efforts to restart the reactor in Covert, Michigan, hit a snag on August 30, when, according…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Palisades proposes method to retrieve 'tipped nuclear fuel assembly', but concerns remain",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/palisades-proposes-method-to-retrieve-tipped-nuclear-fuel-assembly",
        "published": "2026-10-09T18:35:55.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}