Boiling water reactor blade guide and exchange tool

A method of removing a control rod and fuel support from a cell of a boiling water reactor, comprising:

• inserting into the cell a blade guide tool having a pair of collet housings at a lower end of the blade guide tool so that the pair of collet housings are received in respective fuel bundle pockets in the fuel support, the blade guide tool including a pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods each including a first end engaging a respective one of a pair of lower collets within the pair of collet housings and having a second end disposed at an upper end of the blade guide tool;
• assembling a blade exchange tool to the upper end of the blade guide tool, the blade exchange tool including a pair of upper collets for engaging the pair of fuel support grapple actuating rods, the blade exchange tool further including a slider and hook assembly attached to a cable guided by the blade exchange tool;
• actuating the pair of upper collets to engage the pair of lower collets via advancement of the fuel support grapple actuating rods and causing the pair of lower collets to engage the fuel bundle pockets in the fuel support;
• and
• engaging the hook assembly to a control rod and lifting the blade guide tool, the blade exchange tool, the control rod and the fuel support from the cell.