The Palisades nuclear plant in the US state of Michigan has officially returned to operational status after being in decommissioning for three years – marking the first time in the US that a shut-down reactor has returned to operations.
The 805-MW pressurised water reactor unit is not yet generating electricity, but the change in status means it can now receive new fuel to power the reactor once the final inspections and reassembly of the plant is complete.
Holtec International, which owns Palisades, did not say how soon that would happen.
The announcement by Holtec comes one month after the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved Holtec’s licensing package to reauthorise power operations.