'Unusual event' declared at Illinois nuclear power plant, indicating potential degradation of safety
Backup diesel generators are supplying power to Byron nuclear power plant after the plant lost power this morning.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission classified the event as an "unusual," the lowest of four levels of the agency's emergency classification system.
Viktoria Mitlyng, spokeswoman for the NRC's Region III office Lisle, said one of two units at the plant -- a 1,136 megawatt nuclear unit -- was automatically shut down and is stable. Another unit -- at 1,164 MW -- is operating at full power.
Employees at the plant reported seeing smoke coming from a transformer on site after the outage. The plant's fire brigade responded, Mitlyng, but didn't find a fire.
To aid in cooling, steam is being released, she said, and the NRC staff are monitoring.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-offsite-power-loss-closes-unit-2-at-exelons-byron-plant-20120130,0,7041106.story
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