Regulators keeping close tabs on Mich. nuke plant

Regulators said in a report stemming from an 11-day inspection in September that the plant in Van Buren County's Covert Township has "adequately addressed" problems identified last year. But the report says additional oversight is needed to ensure that the remaining corrective actions are properly carried out, and leaks that occurred this year are fully understood so they don't lead to additional safety problems.

The NRC places each of the 104 nuclear reactors in the U.S. in one of five categories based on their safety record. The NRC returned Palisades to the top-performing group last month from the third category, where it had been since late last year, but officials decided to keep the facility under heightened review.

The plant will undergo 1,000 hours of inspection next year beyond the 2,000 hours of so-called baseline inspections at nuclear plants annually.

The plant's most recent shutdown was Nov. 4-7 because of an internal leak of radioactive steam.