Regulators Warn Palisades Reactor Operator Over Safety Culture as Restart Hits Setbacks
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has told Holtec International to address a "chilled work environment" at the Michigan plant after a worker fell into the reactor cavity and a fuel bundle tilted during refueling.
By News Media House Staff ·
US nuclear regulators have issued a warning to the company working to restart the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan, a project central to Donald Trump's push to revive the domestic nuclear industry. The warning follows two safety-related incidents and a poor showing by trainee reactor operators on licensing exams.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) told Holtec International to deal with what it described as a "chilled work environment" at the site. According to the regulator, the atmosphere has left employees reluctant to voice safety concerns for fear of retaliation.
The NRC carried out an inspection at Palisades in July, prompted by questions about safety awareness at the plant. That review followed an incident last year in which a contractor fell into the reactor cavity. The worker swallowed some water and was sent off-site for medical care. Radiation protection staff decontaminated the individual, but an incident report said 300 counts per minute were still detected in their hair.
A second incident occurred in August, when a bundle of nuclear fuel rods tilted over during a refueling operation. The episode delayed what was expected to be the first restart of a closed nuclear reactor in the United States.
The regulator also reported that nine of the 15 reactor operators at Palisades failed the initial licence examination administered in July and August. Six individuals received operator licenses.
Holtec has never operated a nuclear power plant. The company has secured roughly $2.2 billion in government support for the Palisades effort, which has been promoted as a emblem of a US nuclear resurgence.
Critics say the episode points to a broader risk. They argue that financial and political pressure to revitalize nuclear power, as a response to surging energy demand driven by artificial intelligence, could raise the likelihood of accidents.
Palisades is not the only shuttered facility in line for a comeback. The 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.
Originally published by News Media House · Source: Ars Technica
