Palisades nuclear plant starts fuel loading for US restart

At the Palisades plant on Lake Michigan, fuel is now moving into a reactor that was shut down in 2022 after 40 years of operation. Holtec International has begun the loading process as it works to return the site near South Haven, Michigan, to commercial operation—the first U.S. transition of a commercially closed nuclear plant back toward service reported by Interesting Engineering.

Palisades has a single pressurized water reactor and a Westinghouse turbine generator. Its planned core contains 204 fuel assemblies, including new and partially used fuel, and the source gives two output figures: up to 725 MW in its plant description and 805 MW in its conclusion. Fuel loading is taking place in Mode 6 under the plant’s technical specifications; it is a milestone, not proof that the reactor has restarted.

The milestone follows a long refurbishment effort. Holtec inspected the facility and equipment, replaced control-rod drive mechanism nozzles, reinforced tubes in the steam generators, removed accumulated corrosive species and decontaminated and passivated the primary system.

And concretely? If the remaining work is completed and the plant returns to operation, Palisades could put up to 725 MW of electricity back into Michigan’s system; the same source later says the reloaded core will support 805 MW. That would provide a reliable, round-the-clock source of carbon-free electricity. The source gives no timetable for that return, so fuel loading marks progress rather than a date for electricity production.

The restart is being supported by $300 million from the Michigan state government, a $1.5 billion Department of Energy loan and a power purchase agreement. Holtec’s chief nuclear officer, Fadi Diya, said the company remained focused on “disciplined execution” and safe, reliable operation.