nuclear-news

Fall, fuel rod mishap and failed exams plague US nuclear revival effort

Michigan reactor restart is delayed as Trump administration champions nuclear energy to meet booming AI power demand

US regulators have issued a warning to a nuclear project critical to
Donald Trump’s efforts to revive the industry, after a contractor fell
into a reactor cavity and a bundle of fuel rods nearly tipped over during
refuelling. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission told Holtec International,
a company racing to reopen a shuttered reactor at the Palisades nuclear
power plant in Michigan, to address a “chilled work environment” that
has made staff hesitant to raise safety concerns without fear of
retaliation. The warning has prompted concerns among critics that financial
and political pressures to revitalise nuclear power as an answer to booming
AI-driven energy demand are increasing risks of accidents.

FT 23rd Oct 2026,
https://www.ft.com/content/bcc464cc-9d12-4b15-866d-64642de66ca8

October 28, 2026 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA