NRC warns Holtec over safety culture at Palisades nuclear restart

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission told Holtec International to fix a "chilled work environment" at the Palisades plant in Michigan, where staff fear retaliation for raising safety concerns. A worker fell into the reactor cavity last year and a fuel bundle tilted during refuelling; nine of 15 reactor operators failed licensing exams. Holtec has about $2.2bn in government support and must start supplying power by March 2027.

• Nine of 15 Palisades reactor operators failed licensing exams; six were licensed
• Holtec has secured about $2.2bn in government support for the restart
• Contractual deadline to begin supplying power is March 2027
• Five US-listed nuclear firms lost over $30bn in market value in a year