9 of 15 Operators Fail Exam as Regulators Flag 'Chilled' Culture at Palisades

Nine of the 15 reactor operators at the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan failed their initial licensing exams. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a formal warning to Holtec International, citing a "chilled work environment" and two recent safety incidents.

The regulator stated that the atmosphere at the site has left employees reluctant to voice safety concerns due to a fear of retaliation. Holtec is working to restart the plant, a project central to the administration's push to revive the domestic nuclear industry.

The NRC conducted an inspection at Palisades in July following questions about safety awareness. That review followed an incident last year when a contractor fell into the reactor cavity. The worker swallowed water and required off-site medical care. An incident report noted that 300 counts per minute of radiation were still detected in the worker's hair after decontamination.

A second incident occurred in August when a bundle of nuclear fuel rods tilted over during a refueling operation. That episode delayed what was expected to be the first restart of a closed nuclear reactor in the United States.

During the July and August exam period, six individuals received operator licenses. Holtec has never operated a nuclear power plant. The company has secured roughly $2.2 billion in government support for the Palisades effort, which has been promoted as an emblem of a US nuclear resurgence.

Critics argue that financial and political pressure to revitalize nuclear power, driven by surging energy demand from artificial intelligence, could raise the likelihood of accidents. The episode points to risks associated with rapid restarts under political scrutiny.

Palisades is not the only shuttered facility in line for a comeback. The owners of Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania and Duane Arnold in Iowa announced restart plans soon after work began at Palisades.