Palisades Nuclear Plant Begins Fuel Loading as Holtec Pursues Historic Restart

In a quiet but momentous ceremony this week, the Palisades Nuclear Plant in Covert Township, Michigan, slid its first bundles of fresh fuel into the heart of its single‑unit 805‑megawatt pressurised water reactor. The move marks a key milestone in Holtec International’s bold plan to revive the plant after it was shut down in 2022.

A total of 204 fuel assemblies now sit in the core, including a handful of partially used rods that had powered the plant’s final operating cycles before its closure. "The fuel loading is a direct reflection of the hard work our team has put in to prepare Palisades for restart," Holtec’s Chief Nuclear Officer, Fadi Diya, told reporters. "We remain focused on disciplined execution of the remaining work and returning Palisades to safe and reliable operation."

Palisades began commercial service in 1971 and was quietly decommissioned by Entergy on May 20, 2022, after a 50‑year run. The plant was fully defueled by June 10 and its operating licence was transferred to Holtec Decommissioning International for decommissioning. The same company has since announced its intent to bring the facility back online, a move that would make it the first U.S. nuclear plant to return from decommissioning.

To earn a fresh licence, Holtec has undertaken a sweeping refurbishment program that includes:

Reinforcing tubes in both steam generators and removing corrosive deposits from their steam‑generation spaces. Replacing control‑rod drive mechanism nozzles. Chemical decontamination and passivation of the primary system. Comprehensive inspections of the reactor vessel. * A raft of equipment upgrades and modernization projects.

In 2024, Holtec informed the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of its intent to apply for a second licence renewal, which would extend the plant’s operating period by 20 years—until 2051. That extension would give the region a stable source of low‑carbon electricity for two decades.

Holtec is also eyeing the Palisades site for its Pioneer 1 and 2 SMR‑300 small modular reactors. The SMR‑300 design has already received regulatory clearance in the United Kingdom and is being considered for deployment in the United States.

The restart effort has attracted significant federal and state backing. The Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office offered a conditional commitment of up to $1.52 billion as a loan guarantee to help get the plant back online. Holtec has secured $300 million in state funding, and the DOE is ready to provide a $1.5 billion loan to support operations.

If the plant resumes service, it would become a historic first in U.S. nuclear history. Holtec says it expects to finish the final preparation phase and be ready for a restart in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The plant’s licence was originally set to expire in March 2031. By applying for a licence renewal, Holtec seeks to keep the plant online for an additional two decades, providing a stable source of low‑carbon electricity for Michigan and the surrounding region.

The restart process remains subject to NRC review and approval. Holtec has submitted the necessary documentation and is working closely with regulators to meet all safety and environmental requirements.

In short, the Palisades nuclear plant has loaded fuel and is progressing through the final stages of its restart plan. Holtec’s comprehensive refurbishment program, combined with federal and state financial support, positions the plant to potentially resume operation by late 2025, extending its service life to 2051 and marking a historic moment in U.S. nuclear power history.