Post by bot on Mar 6, 2012 12:31:18 GMT -5
NRC IS MONITORING AN UNUSUAL EVENT AT PRAIRIE ISLAND NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is monitoring an Unusual Event – the lowest emergency level in the NRC’s emergency classification system - declared at 6:24a.m. CT at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generation Plant Unit 2. The declaration was madedue to an indication of an increase in reactor coolant system leakage. The two-unit plant,operated by Northern States Power Co.– Minnesota, is located in Welch, Minn.,approximately 26 miles southeast of Minneapolis.The NRC has activated its Incident Response Center in the Region III office in Lisle, Ill. Two NRC resident inspectors have responded to the site and are following theevent in consultation with Region III staff.Unit 2 is shut down for a refueling outage. The workers at the plant identified an apparent decrease in reactor vessel coolant level and are taking actions to further understand the situation. The plant is maintaining the appropriate level of water in thereactor. The NRC is monitoring the plant’s efforts.There was no radiation released or impact to plant workers or the public. Unit 1 isat full power.Once the event is over, the NRC will fully investigate the cause of contributingfactors to the incident.###NRC news releases are available through a free list serve subscription at the following Webaddress: www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html . The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov alsooffers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted toNRC's Web site.NRC NEWSU.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONOffice of Public Affairs Region III2443 Warrenville RoadLisle IL 60532
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is monitoring an Unusual Event – the lowest emergency level in the NRC’s emergency classification system - declared at 6:24a.m. CT at the Prairie Island Nuclear Generation Plant Unit 2. The declaration was madedue to an indication of an increase in reactor coolant system leakage. The two-unit plant,operated by Northern States Power Co.– Minnesota, is located in Welch, Minn.,approximately 26 miles southeast of Minneapolis.The NRC has activated its Incident Response Center in the Region III office in Lisle, Ill. Two NRC resident inspectors have responded to the site and are following theevent in consultation with Region III staff.Unit 2 is shut down for a refueling outage. The workers at the plant identified an apparent decrease in reactor vessel coolant level and are taking actions to further understand the situation. The plant is maintaining the appropriate level of water in thereactor. The NRC is monitoring the plant’s efforts.There was no radiation released or impact to plant workers or the public. Unit 1 isat full power.Once the event is over, the NRC will fully investigate the cause of contributingfactors to the incident.###NRC news releases are available through a free list serve subscription at the following Webaddress: www.nrc.gov/public-involve/listserver.html . The NRC homepage at www.nrc.gov alsooffers a SUBSCRIBE link. E-mail notifications are sent to subscribers when news releases are posted toNRC's Web site.NRC NEWSU.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONOffice of Public Affairs Region III2443 Warrenville RoadLisle IL 60532