COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A problem loading fuel into the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant has caused one phase of its historic restart to pause.

The 50-year-old facility on the shore of Lake Michigan in Covert Township is set to become the first decommissioned nuclear plant in the nation to be restarted.

Plant owner Holtec confirmed crews were loading radioactive fuel rods into the reactor when one fuel assembly tilted from its upright position after the machine moving it already released it, leaving it stuck in a tilted position. 

The reactor can't be restarted until it's fixed. The fuel loading process is now on pause, and engineers are figuring out how to retrieve the fuel vessel and safely get it into the spent fuel pool where it's stored.

Holtec and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says there was no radiation release and no danger to plant workers or the public.

The following statement was released by a Holtec representative:

"The nuclear industry operates under rigorous standards and independent federal oversight. Safety is our highest priority, and when issues arise, they are evaluated, understood, and addressed, with appropriate verification before affected activities proceed."

You can read the most recent startup progress report on Holtec's website.