NORTH PERRY, Ohio -- A cooling pump at the Perry nuclear plant failed a test for the second time in less than a year, causing officials to shut down the plant for about a week.
The pump at the 1,325-megawatt reactor failed Friday during a routine maintenance test, and the reactor was gradually shut down over the weekend. The pump is only used in emergencies, so there was no public safety threat and it is being repaired.
Federal investigators are at Perry to check pump problems, said Jan Strasma, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Plant owner, Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp., can buy some of the power it needs at wholesale rates to replace the output at Perry, spokesman Ralph DiNicola said. If necessary, some power can be reduced to industrial customers with contracts, allowing reduction in some circumstances.
The pump is one of three that would be needed to cool equipment during a nuclear accident, but NRC rules require a shutdown if any of the pumps are inoperable.
Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press.