Congressman: Keep Palisades shut till leak fixed
US Rep. Upton says Palisades nuclear plant should stay shut till water leak fixed for good
COVERT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- A southwestern Michigan congressman says the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant should remain offline until operators permanently fix a persistent water leak that triggered a weekend shutdown.
Entergy Corp. shut the plant Sunday, one day after operators found a tank leaking faster than federal regulators permit.
Palisades is along Lake Michigan in Van Buren County's Covert Township, 80 miles east-northeast of Chicago. It's had nine shutdowns since September 2011.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says Palisades discharged 79 gallons of "very slightly radioactive water" into Lake Michigan. It says there's no health effect.
Republican U.S. Rep Fred Upton of St. Joseph called the situation "unacceptable" Tuesday.
Entergy Vice President Terry Young says the New Orleans-based company shares Upton's expectations and is committed to ensuring safety.
