This is a diagram of a single fuel assembly consisting of 96 rods in 4 bundles of 24 with the corner rod of a 5x5 array missing. The cut in the middle is not really there, it's to show certain internal structures of the arrangement.

The fuel rods are 4m+ long and very thin.

There are hundreds or these hundred-rod assemblies in each reactor core. As you can see the assembly has a hole at the top through which a crane's hook could grab the assembly in order to lift it out of place or lower it down into place.

So, in what may be my last act of "advising", I'll advise you to cut the jargon. -- My old PhD advisor, to me, 26/2/11