Nuclear Power Reactors

Nuclear Plant Shut Down After Box Breaks Loose
17 Janurary 2007

AP (MONTICELLO, MN.) - Xcel Energy Inc. shut down its nuclear plant at Monticello indefinitely while experts investigate why a large component broke loose and triggered the plant's automatic safety systems. Jan Strasma, spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said a 35,000-pound control box fell off a steal beam inside the plant, but outside the reactor, last Wednesday, 10 January 2006. He went on to say the control box dropped about a foot onto a large steam pipe, and probably damaged the pipe and perhaps insulation on other steam lines. This incident caused the reactor's automatic shutdown, and no radiation was released, federal and company officials said. "There was no release of radioactivity, no threat to public health and safety, and all of the reactor's safety systems functioned normally," Strasma said.
Source: http://wcco.com/local/local_story_016225203.html

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-Ryan