Massachusetts Nuclear Plant Shut Down During Winter Storm
Published at(PLYMOUTH, Mass.) — The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth was shut down early Tuesday morning as a result of the strong winter storm that swept through the Northeast.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Committee said on its website Tuesday that the plant experienced an automatic shutdown after one of the site’s offsite power lines was deenergized due to weather concerns and a second was tripped early Tuesday morning. At that point, at about 4 a.m., the reactor was shut down.
A third, less powerful, offsite power line remains available, but the primary source of power — for safety systems — are the plant’s emergency diesel generators.
The exact cause of the loss of the second offsite power line is still under investigation.
Messages posted to the plant’s Twitter account explained that it is in “safe, stable shutdown” and “has enough fuel onsite to operate our emergency generators for 10 days.” More fuel can also be delivered as needed. The plant says it is in stable condition and there is no threat to the safety of workers or the public.
Status Update (1/2): Pilgrim remains in safe, stable shutdown and using emergency onsite diesel generators to run our safety systems
— Pilgrim Nuclear (@PilgrimNuclear) January 27, 2015
Status Update (2/2): Pilgrim has enough fuel onsite to operate our emergency generators for 10 days.More fuel can be delivered as needed.
— Pilgrim Nuclear (@PilgrimNuclear) January 27, 2015
NOTE: As backup, the plant has additional standby power available from an offsitte power line and another onsite emergency generator
— Pilgrim Nuclear (@PilgrimNuclear) January 27, 2015
Plant conditions are stable and there is no threat to the safety of plant workers or the public. All systems worked as designed.
— Pilgrim Nuclear (@PilgrimNuclear) January 27, 2015
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