Palisades Nuclear Restart: Regulators Order Holtec to Fix Safety Culture
The NRC cites a 'chilled' workplace and high exam failure rates among trainee operators as Holtec prepares to return the Michigan plant to service.
By Harper Hassan ·
Holtec International faces a new regulatory hurdle as it works to restart the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a warning to the company, directing it to address a "chilled work environment" that has left staff hesitant to report safety concerns. The NRC stated that employees fear retaliation if they voice issues about the plant's operations.
The regulator's order follows a July inspection triggered by questions about safety awareness at the site. This review came after a contractor fell into the reactor cavity last year. The worker swallowed water and required off-site medical care. Radiation protection staff decontaminated the individual, though an incident report noted that 300 counts per minute were still detected in their hair afterward.
A second incident occurred in August when a bundle of nuclear fuel rods tilted during a refueling operation. This event delayed what was expected to be the first restart of a closed nuclear reactor in the United States. The NRC also reported that nine of the 15 reactor operators at Palisades failed the initial licensing examination administered in July and August. Only six individuals received operator licenses.
Holtec has never operated a nuclear power plant before. The company has secured approximately $2.2 billion in government support for the Palisades project. This effort is central to the administration's push to revive the domestic nuclear industry and serve as an emblem of a US nuclear resurgence.
Critics argue that the episode points to a wider risk. They contend that financial and political pressure to revitalize nuclear power in response to surging energy demand from artificial intelligence could raise the likelihood of accidents. The restart of Palisades is part of a larger trend, as owners of two other plants slated for decommissioning, Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania and Duane Arnold in Iowa, announced restart plans soon after work began at Palisades.
Source: Ars Technica
