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What is holding up the Palisades restart?
Holtec said fuel loading began on August 30, 2026, after Palisades entered Mode 6, the refueling mode. The operator reported that one fuel assembly tilted from its upright position after being placed and after the fuel-handling grapple had disengaged. Holtec said staff followed procedures, notified the NRC, and assessed that the event did not meet NRC regulatory safety-reporting requirements. That reporting assessment is Holtec’s account, not an independent NRC safety finding.
In its September 21 update, Holtec said it had paused fuel loading, started a root-cause evaluation, and was developing equipment to retrieve the affected assembly. It was also preparing a license-amendment request for the proposed retrieval method. Holtec said progression to later operating modes depended on satisfactory resolution of the assembly issue, completion of tests and modifications, and applicable NRC approvals. The update gave no commercial restart date. Holtec’s September 21, 2026 progress report
What needs to happen before the existing reactor can operate?
Palisades is a single-unit, 800-megawatt pressurized-water reactor in Covert Township, Michigan. It ceased operating on May 20, 2022, after more than 40 years of commercial operation. The NRC says a restart requires restoration of the plant’s operating licensing basis and components to conditions that support safe operation, including any needed repairs or upgrades. The agency reviews licensing documents, inspects new and restored components, and continues oversight. NRC facility information for Palisades
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- Resolve the fuel-handling issue: Holtec must address the tilted assembly and the retrieval method it proposed.
- Complete restoration and commissioning: Testing and modifications must be completed, with components supporting the plant’s licensing basis.
- Meet NRC requirements: Required licensing actions and approvals remain part of the path to later operating modes and commercial operation.
Holtec reported that Palisades reconnected to the 345-kilovolt switchyard on September 11, 2026, while commissioning and testing continued. Reconnection is a restoration milestone; it does not mean the reactor had resumed commercial generation.
What has happened since Palisades shut down?
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| May 20, 2022 | Palisades permanently ceased operations, according to the NRC. |
| March 2023 | Holtec notified the NRC that it sought to restart the shutdown, defueled plant. NRC facility information |
| September 2024 | The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) closed a $1.52 billion loan to Holtec Palisades, LLC, to help finance restoration and resumption of service. DOE says resumption is subject to NRC licensing approvals. DOE Palisades project summary |
| July 2025 | NRC actions included an exemption, license amendments, and transfer of operating authority, as summarized by the U.S. Department of Justice. These regulatory actions do not establish that restoration or operational readiness is complete. DOJ account of the court case and NRC actions |
| August 30, 2026 | Holtec said the plant entered refueling mode and began loading fuel; loading was later paused over the tilted assembly. |
| September 11, 2026 | Holtec said Palisades reconnected to the switchyard as restoration, commissioning, and testing continued. |
| September 21, 2026 | Holtec reported that fuel loading remained paused and that progression depended on the assembly issue, testing and modifications, and applicable NRC approvals. |
How does the DOE loan relate to permission to restart?
The DOE loan supports restoration and resumed generation; it is not permission to operate. The DOE project summary describes a $1.52 billion loan closed in September 2024 and makes clear that resumption is subject to NRC licensing approvals. DOE’s record of decision describes financial assistance for refueling and resumed generation consistent with the renewed facility operating license through March 2031. DOE project summary · DOE record of decision
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DOE characterizes the undertaking as “the first recommissioning of a retired nuclear power plant in the U.S. history.” That is the department’s description of the project, not a statement that Palisades has already returned to service.
DOE also estimates that the project could support or retain up to 600 Michigan jobs. At the 2024 loan closing, it estimated more than 1,000 jobs during scheduled refueling and maintenance periods. These are projections or estimates, not verified counts of jobs already realized. DOE project summary
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What did the court case decide?
In June 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan dismissed a lawsuit challenging an NRC exemption decision. The DOJ said the Hobbs Act channels challenges to final NRC licensing orders to the U.S. Courts of Appeals. The dismissal concerns the route for judicial review; it does not establish that the plant had returned to commercial operation. DOJ announcement, July 1, 2026
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Hyundai involved in restarting the existing reactor?
The reported Holtec–Hyundai E&C relationship concerns a separate proposed project: building small modular reactors at the Palisades site. DOE’s environmental assessment reports that Holtec announced the agreement on February 25, 2025. Holtec’s newsroom index later described preparatory planning for Pioneer Units 1 and 2, identified as SMR-300 units. Those proposed future units are distinct from the existing reactor’s restoration and restart; the available information does not establish that the SMR project is operating or that Hyundai is running the current unit. DOE environmental assessment · Holtec newsroom index
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