Holtec International has begun loading nuclear fuel into the Palisades reactor vessel in Michigan, marking a critical milestone toward the first-ever restart of a permanently shuttered U.S. commercial nuclear plant. Workers started the fuel loading process on August 31, 2026, placing 204 fuel assemblies into the reactor core, a mix of new fuel and partially used assemblies from the plant’s final operating cycles before it closed in May 2022.
The fuel loading represents the culmination of more than two years of extensive inspection, maintenance, refurbishment, testing, and equipment upgrades across the station. Holtec Chief Nuclear Officer Fadi Diya said the milestone reflects “the tremendous effort of the men and women who have brought this plant to this point,” and emphasized the company’s focus on “disciplined execution of the remaining work and returning Palisades to safe and reliable operation.”
The work completed before fuel loading was substantial. Holtec conducted the only deep cleaning of the plant’s generator in more than half a century, including replacing all degraded metal tubes in the steam and condenser systems, recoating electrical system metals to prevent corrosion, and disassembling the entire machine for its first full refurbishment. The company also performed extensive reinforcement of tubes in the two steam generators, removed accumulated corrosive species, replaced the plant’s control rod drive mechanism nozzles, and conducted chemical decontamination and passivation of the primary system, according to World Nuclear News.
Following completion of fuel loading, Palisades will progress through a series of required testing, inspections, and startup activities before returning to service. The plant must meet its Technical Specifications along with all applicable federal regulations and industry standards before generating power again. Holtec has requalified 26 former plant operators to maintain their Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses and graduated a new class of specialists, with a second class of newly hired operators set to undergo final NRC licensing exams.
A Historic First for U.S. Nuclear Power
The Palisades restart is unprecedented in American nuclear history. The 805-megawatt pressurized water reactor, which began commercial operation in 1971, shut down after 50 years of service when Entergy closed it in May 2022 and defueled it by June 10 of that year. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the transfer of the operating license from Entergy to Holtec for decommissioning purposes. Shortly after acquiring the site in 2023, Holtec announced plans to restart the plant instead—a proposal that had never been attempted in the U.S. before.
The restart project received significant federal support. The Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office awarded Holtec a $1.52 billion loan to finance the renovations needed to relicense the 54-year-old reactor, which was previously the oldest in operation in the U.S. fleet. The loan moved forward even after the Trump administration froze clean energy spending, underscoring bipartisan support for the project.
When operational, Palisades can generate enough electricity to power approximately 800,000 homes. Holtec has also notified the NRC of its intention to apply for a second license renewal, which would extend the plant’s operating period by a further 20 years, to 2051. The company is also advancing plans for the future deployment of two of its Pioneer 1 and 2 SMR-300 units—300-megawatt small modular reactors—at the Palisades site.
If Holtec succeeds in restarting Palisades, it could open the door for other defunct reactors to return to service. Constellation Energy Generation’s Crane nuclear plant at Three Mile Island and NextEra’s Duane Arnold plant in Iowa are both pursuing restarts with corporate backing from Microsoft and Google, respectively. The success of Palisades would establish a precedent and pathway for what has long been considered impossible in the U.S. nuclear industry.
Sources
- World Nuclear News — Confirmed fuel loading began September 1, 2026, with 204 fuel assemblies, extensive refurbishment details, and plant specifications.
- Michigan Public — Reported fuel loading process began, plant shutdown in 2022, capacity of 800,000 homes, and maintenance issues including cracked steam generator tubes.
- Canary Media — Provided details on the restart project’s scope, DOE loan amount, Holtec’s renovation work, operator requalification efforts, and the broader context of plant restarts nationwide.
- U.S. Department of Energy — Confirmed Palisades is the first U.S. nuclear plant to return from decommissioning.
