Holtec Successfully Recovers Tilted Fuel Assembly at Palisades Nuclear Power Plant

Recently, the engineering team of Holtec International has successfully used a specially manufactured device—conceived, designed, and delivered in just two weeks—to safely retrieve and recover a previously tilted fuel assembly from the Reactor Pressure Vessel at the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Michigan.

It is reported that the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, a single-unit Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) retired in 2022, officially commenced fuel loading operations in late August this year. However, on September 21, fuel loading operations were forced to suspend after a fuel assembly unexpectedly tilted following its placement in position and the disengagement of the fuel handling machine's grapple, presenting a technical challenge that conventional refueling equipment struggled to address.

To resolve this challenge, the Holtec team acted swiftly, completing the conception, design, and fabrication of a specialized fuel handling device and a custom fuel transfer cask within just two weeks. Meanwhile, this complex operation required approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). After completing safety and compliance reviews, the regulatory body granted a one-time emergency amendment to the plant's licensing basis, thereby ensuring the compliance of the operation.

Backed by rigorous engineering assessments, equipment testing, and a detailed execution plan, the operations team successfully lifted the tilted assembly out of the pressure vessel and placed it into the fuel transfer cask. After the cask lid was installed and secured within the reactor cavity, the transfer cask was safely transported to the plant's Spent Fuel Pool for proper storage, with the entire process reflecting the team's meticulous execution.

Fadi Diya, Chief Nuclear Officer of Holtec International, stated that in the face of the unexpected challenge, the team consistently upheld the principles of safety first, technical rigor, and teamwork, successfully developing and flawlessly executing the response plan, fully demonstrating the company's deep professional expertise. With the successful completion of this recovery effort, the Palisades team will comprehensively advance the subsequent fuel loading, system testing, equipment inspections, and operational readiness activities, laying a solid foundation for the eventual restart of the retired plant.