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Regulatory green light restarts Palisades nuclear power plant in the United States

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission has authorised the restart of the Palisades power plant, marking a key milestone for Holtec in reintegrating this reactor into the US energy mix. —

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The Palisades nuclear power plant, located in Covert, Michigan, is preparing to return to service following the receipt of major regulatory approvals. The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has validated the resumption of operations at the site, allowing Holtec International to proceed with fuel reloading and prepare the reactor for reactivation.

Licence transfer and restoration of operational protocols
Shut down in May 2022 and fully defuelled, Palisades nevertheless remained licensed to operate until March 2031. The site’s licence had been transferred to Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC for decommissioning, but in 2023, Holtec began steps to bring the plant back into active operation under the Palisades Energy LLC structure. The NRC has formalised the transfer of operating authority and that of the spent fuel storage facility, accompanying this phase with the reinstatement of technical and safety protocols that were in place before the shutdown.

The restored documents and programmes cover technical specifications, the emergency plan, emergency action levels, and the physical security plan. These are supplemented by quality assurance, maintenance and in-service inspection programmes, all essential for the compliance and reliability of nuclear plant operations.

Next steps before reactivation
Holtec has received official confirmation that the transition to an operational regime will take effect on August 25, 2025, pending the completion of certain ongoing regulatory reviews. The NRC has specified that additional requirements must be fulfilled before the actual restart of electricity production, ensuring compliance with the sector’s safety standards.

The company states that this approval now authorises the receipt of new fuel assemblies and the mobilisation of licensed operators on site. Holtec International President Kelly Trice described this stage as “unprecedented” in the American nuclear sector, adding that the restart of Palisades aims to reinforce energy security while supporting the local economy.

The reintegration of a previously shut down plant is a rare occurrence in the industry, highlighting the evolving industrial and regulatory strategies in the United States nuclear energy sector.

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