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Establishing and maintaining these conditions allowed for precise control of water chemistry and restoration of the system's protective surfaces following the extensive maintenance, inspection, and component upgrades completed over the past two years, the company said.
Restoration work across the primary system has included steam generator tube repairs, pressure boundary weld restorations, and a "first-ever comprehensive system cleaning" that has also significantly reduced dose rates in sensitive areas of the plant.
The system will now be cooled and prepared for additional testing, equipment upgrades, and preparations for fuel loading. Activities still under way include upgrades to the fuel handling system, switchyard restoration work, and the completion of required inspections and other major maintenance works.
"The completion of primary system passivation reflects the diligence and technical rigour our team is bringing to position the plant for safe, reliable operation for decades," Holtec International President Kelly Trice said. "Ensuring long-term safety and reliability remains the central focus of our restart mission, and we continue to execute this work with the care and precision it warrants."
Palisades, a single-unit pressurised water reactor, ceased operations in May 2022 and was defuelled the following month, although it was licensed to operate until March 2031. The unit's licence was transferred from previous operator Entergy Nuclear Operations to Holtec Decommissioning International, LLC and Holtec Palisades, LLC, for decommissioning, but in late 2023, Holtec began the process of obtaining the licensing approvals needed to return the plant to operational status for the remainder of its licensing term.
Holtec is also advancing plans for the future deployment of its Pioneer 1 and 2 SMR-300 units at the Palisades site.
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