A shuttered nuclear power plant in the US has overcome a major challenge ahead of its planned restart after engineers successfully recovered a tilted fuel assembly from its reactor.
The demanding operation was carried out at the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Michigan. Florida-based energy technology firm, Holtec International announced its successful completion Wednesday, October 21.
For the procedure, the company used a specially designed Fuel Movement Device (FMD), which it developed, manufactured, and delivered in just two weeks. According to Holtec, the feat brings the nuclear plant closer to restarting operations.
The facility could become the first permanently shut-down US commercial nuclear plant to return to power generation. The fuel recovery was reportedly carried out safely and without errors. “When we encounter a challenge, what matters is how we respond,” Fadi Diya, Holtec International chief nuclear officer, said.
The facility’s restart preparations were temporarily disrupted on August 30, 2026, after a fuel bundle unexpectedly tilted at a 30-degree angle inside the reactor. Its bottom remained in position H-1, and its top leaned against the core shroud. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), confirmed that the incident caused no radiation release or worker injuries.
However, recovering the tilted fuel assembly required a specialized engineering solution. To address the challenge, Holtec developed a custom Fuel Movement Device and a specially engineered fuel transfer canister to safely lift, secure, and relocate the assembly.
The equipment was developed in Camden, New Jersey, while the specialized parts were produced in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the same time, Palisades personnel handled the regulatory preparations, equipment testing, training, as well as the recovery operation .
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