Worker Falls into Reactor Cavity at Palisades Nuclear Plant, Michigan

Incident at Palisades Nuclear Plant: Worker Falls into Reactor Cavity

In an unexpected incident at the Palisades Nuclear Plant located in Southwest Michigan, a contractor fell into a water-filled reactor cavity on Tuesday. The individual was subsequently taken to a medical facility for evaluation, as noted in a report from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Details from the NRC report reveal that the contractor ingested some water from the cavity, but there were no additional injuries cited. The incident occurred while a contractor was executing tasks within the containment building. The individual was equipped with necessary safety gear, including a life vest, which is standard protocol near the pool when no barrier is present, according to company spokesman Nick Culp.

“The worker was promptly assisted from the water, evaluated, monitored, and decontaminated,” Culp stated. He further mentioned that radiological assessments are ongoing and are anticipated to indicate exposure levels well below regulatory and administrative dose limits. The NRC had been duly notified, and there is an ongoing review of the human performance factors that contributed to this incident. Despite minor injuries from the fall, the contractor has resumed work.

The NRC, currently impacted by a federal government shutdown, could not provide additional comments as their spokesperson is on furlough.

The NRC categorized the event as a “Non Emergency” in their online report. The report states that the incident took place at approximately 9:30 a.m. The worker was decontaminated by radiation protection personnel, although 300 counts per minute were detected in their hair. They were transported off-site for medical evaluation around 4:32 p.m.

Recently, the Palisades plant shared updates on social media, indicating the arrival of 68 new fuel assemblies, marking a significant milestone toward the plant’s restart. The fuel is being inspected and stored securely until it’s ready for core loading.

In August, Holtec International, the owner of the Palisades nuclear plant, announced its transition back to operational status after a three-year decommissioning period, making it the first decommissioned plant in the U.S. to resume operations. Although not yet generating electricity, this status update facilitates the introduction of new fuel, pending final inspections and reassembly.