FirstEnergy nuclear plant reactor resumes working
Reactor at FirstEnergy nuclear plant in Pa. resumes operations after vibrations, leaky seals
SHIPPINGPORT, Pa. (AP) -- One of two reactors shut down two weeks ago at a western Pennsylvania nuclear power plant is running again after workers addressed concerns about vibrations and leaky seals on coolant pumps connected to the unit.
FirstEnergy Corp. of Akron, Ohio, says the second reactor at the Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station in Shippingport was restarted Sunday and ramped up to full capacity on Monday. The plant had been operating just one of its two reactors since the vibration problem forced a shutdown May 28.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials say the vibrations were caused by wires in the main generator that became loose. While workers were fixing that problem, they noticed a leaky seal on the coolant pump and replaced it and another seal.
NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan says Westinghouse, which manufactured the reactor, is investigation the seal failures.
