As the South Haven Speakers Series considers the future restart of the Palisades Nuclear Plant at its meeting Thursday night, Palisades owner Holtec International has released an update on progress at the plant, aimed at a restart later this year.
Palisades has emerged as the first American nuclear plant slated to be updated and restarted, after being shut down as obsolete in 2023. The plan is to restart the remodeled reactor, and then eventually replace it with what are called “small modular reactors” that are billed as the future of nuclear power over the next 30 to 50 years.
The South Haven Speakers Series will focus on Palisades and its future Thursday night at the South Haven campus of Lake Michigan College. Guest speaker will be Max Vanatta, a University of Michigan graduate engineering student who has authored a comprehensive research paper on nuclear power. According to the Speakers Series, “Max will provide a fresh new look at the risks and rewards of recommissioning nuclear power plants including the use of small modular reactors called SMRs This is especially timely with the country’s focus on plans to reopen the Palisades nuclear power plant.” The program begins at 7pm, following a wine and cheese reception at 6:30. Admission is $10 per person.
Meanwhile, Holtec released an update on Palisades upgrades, relicensing and staff development:
The Palisades restart remains on track, with the project progressing seamlessly on schedule and on budget, underpinned by strong safety and quality assurance metrics. Recent milestones achieved in operations, workforce development, regulatory approvals, and site preparations give credence to our mission to re-power the plant on the established schedule.
A major milestone in the Palisades restart journey was reached with the Company securing full accreditation for its Operations Training programs. In a unanimous vote, the National Nuclear Accrediting Board (NNAB) approved Holtec Palisades’s accreditation enabling the plant to transition into the industry-standard six-year training continuum. The NNAB evaluates and accredits training programs for US nuclear operators, maintenance technicians, and key personnel against rigorous industry standards. This achievement speaks to the Palisades team’s dedication and diligence to ensure a safe and successful return to operation. The Palisades Maintenance and Technical Training programs will undergo their final accreditation phase this spring.
Workforce development remains a key priority alongside training accreditation. In 2024, 26 former Palisades licensed operators successfully completed requalification, and the first initial licensed operator class is on track to complete their US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) license exams this June.
The training of the second initial licensed operator class is also in progress and is set to graduate in early 2026 following plant restart. This ensures that the plant will have a well-resourced cadre of trained operators for long-term operations. Palisades staffing has grown to 570 full-time Holtec associates – up from 220 post-shutdown – alongside hundreds of specialty vendors and skilled trades personnel.
