Nuclear Restart: Regulators Cite Fear and Failures at Michigan Plant

Nine of the 15 reactor operators at the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan failed their initial licensing examinations, according to a recent Nuclear Regulatory Commission report. The NRC issued a warning to Holtec International, the company leading the restart effort, citing a 'chilled work environment' that has discouraged staff from raising safety concerns.

The regulator stated that employees at the site are reluctant to voice safety issues for fear of retaliation. This finding follows an inspection conducted in July, which was prompted by earlier questions regarding safety awareness at the facility. The review came after two distinct safety incidents occurred over the past year.

In one incident last year, a contractor fell into the reactor cavity. The worker swallowed some water and was transported off-site for medical care. Radiation protection staff decontaminated the individual, yet an incident report indicated that 300 counts per minute were still detected in their hair. A second incident happened in August when a bundle of nuclear fuel rods tilted over during a refueling operation. This event delayed the anticipated first restart of a closed nuclear reactor in the United States.

Of the 15 operators who took the exams in July and August, only six received 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 project, which has been promoted as a central symbol of the administration's push to revive the domestic nuclear industry.

Critics of the restart argue that financial and political pressures to revitalize nuclear power, driven by surging energy demand from artificial intelligence, could increase the likelihood of accidents. They view the regulatory warning as an indicator of these risks.

Palisades is not the only shuttered facility facing a potential comeback. Owners of Two Mile Island in Pennsylvania and Duane Arnold in Iowa announced restart plans shortly after work began at Palisades. These projects aim to bring additional nuclear capacity back online in the coming years.