A contractor at the Palisades Nuclear Plant in West Michigan fell into a water-filled reactor cavity on Tuesday morning and required decontamination. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m., and although the worker was wearing the necessary personal protective equipment, he ingested some water from the reactor cavity. The contractor was quickly rescued and decontaminated; radiation levels in his hair were measured at 300 counts per minute. After being assessed, he sought medical attention and has since returned to work. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been notified, and a review of the incident is in progress. Holtec International, which operates the plant, stated that ongoing evaluations indicate exposure levels remain below limits set by regulations. The Palisades facility has recently received new nuclear fuel and is expected to support over 800,000 homes when operations resume, although a restart date has not yet been announced.
Thu, 23 Oct 2025 13:15:25 GMT | CBS News