NRC orders Holtec to fix Palisades safety climate after operator failures

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has ordered Holtec International to correct a 'chilled work environment' at the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan. The directive arrives as the project to restart the reactor faces mounting operational hurdles.

Regulators found that staff at the site are hesitant to raise safety concerns. The NRC report states that employees fear retaliation if they speak up. This atmosphere of caution emerged during an inspection conducted in July, which followed earlier questions about safety awareness at the facility.

The regulatory action follows two specific safety incidents at the plant. In August, a bundle of nuclear fuel rods tilted during a refueling operation. This event delayed the expected first restart of a closed nuclear reactor in the United States. Prior to that, a contractor fell into the reactor cavity last year. The worker swallowed water and was sent off-site for medical care. Decontamination by radiation protection staff left 300 counts per minute detected in the individual's hair.

Performance on licensing exams provided further evidence of the strain on operations. Nine of the 15 reactor operators at Palisades failed the initial license examination administered between July and August. Only six individuals successfully received their operator licenses.

Holtec International has never operated a nuclear power plant before. The company has secured approximately $2.2 billion in government support for the Palisades effort. This investment is central to the administration's push to revive the domestic nuclear industry. The plant has been promoted as a symbol of a US nuclear resurgence, a move partly driven by surging energy demand from artificial intelligence.

Critics argue that the pressure to revitalize nuclear power could increase the likelihood of accidents. They point to the combination of financial stakes and political expectations as a risk factor. Palisades is not the only shuttered facility seeking a return. Owners of Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania and Duane Arnold in Iowa announced restart plans for their decommissioning sites shortly after work began at Palisades.