The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved a series of licensing and regulatory actions that will pave the way for restart of the Palisades NPP. The single-unit 800 MWe pressurised water reactor on the shores of Lake Michigan began commercial operation in 1971. In 2016 operator Entergy announced plans to close the plant. In 2021 NRC approved transfer of the licence from Entergy to Holtec in preparation for its decommissioning.
The reactor was removed from service by Entergy in May 2022, and defueled, and its sale to Holtec completed in June 2022. However, Holtec then announced that it was applying for federal funding to allow restart of the plant. Starting in late 2023, Holtec filed several licensing requests that, if approved, could return the plant to operational status.
While the latest NRC approvals will allow Holtec to load fuel, there are still several licensing actions under NRC review and additional requirements that need to be met before the plant can start under the original operating licence, which would expire on 24 March 2031.
Following technical reviews that were completed on schedule, NRC has approved the transfer of operating authority for the plant and its independent used fuel storage facility from Holtec Decommissioning International LLC to Palisades Energy LLC. The NRC has also approved Holtec’s request to reinstate various documents and programmes that were in place prior to shut down. These include the technical specifications, emergency plan, emergency action levels, and physical security plan, as well as programmes for quality assurance, maintenance, and in-service inspections. A May 2025 report contains the NRC staff’s evaluation and conclusion that there are no significant environmental impacts from restarting Palisades.
“This is a proud and historic moment for our team, for Michigan, and for the United States,” said Holtec International President Kelly Trice. “The NRC’s approval to transition Palisades back to an operating licence represents an unprecedented milestone in US nuclear energy. Our mission remains clear: to restart Palisades safely, securely, reliably, and in support of America’s energy future – while supporting local jobs and economic growth for decades to come.”
A joint statement by Holtec Chief Nuclear Officer Rich Burroni, Holtec Vice President of Licensing, Regulatory Affairs & PSA Jean Fleming, and Palisades Site Vice President Mike Mlynarek said: “This milestone is a testament to the expertise and determination of Holtec’s licensing team, whose work made this historic approval possible. It also reflects the dedication of the Palisades team working every day to safely return the plant to service, along with the strong support we’ve received from our corporate organization and peers across the nuclear industry.”
The project is led by approximately 600 full-time nuclear professionals at Palisades and supported by approximately 1,000 skilled trades workers, vendors, and suppliers.
Meanwhile, the Palisades on-site training department has achieved full accreditation from the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) – a prerequisite for the planned restart of the nuclear power plant by the end of this year. To receive nuclear fuel and resume operations, plant operators must be trained at an accredited institution, making it a foundational element of the plant’s return and the first major technical activity initiated in the restart process.
Since October 2023, Westinghouse’s Training Resource Solutions team, in collaboration with Accelerant Training, has created the Nuclear Excellence Academy (NEXA) to lead the effort to build a fully-accredited training system at Palisades. NEXA has delivered over 178,000 hours of instruction, supported by more than 50 senior trainers. Over the past 18 months, the team covered more than 1,000 training topics, and Palisades now has a full complement of in-house staff formally trained for every task required for plant operations.
The accreditation process involved multiple inspections by INPO and NRC, as well as training evaluation by the World Association of Nuclear Operators. The training department has achieved full accreditation from the INPO across all five key disciplines: operations, maintenance, chemistry, radiation protection and engineering. The most recent programmes to be accredited were maintenance and technical, following an in-person review held earlier this year.
