Ohio nuclear plant owner: Weather caused cracks
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — The owner of an Ohio nuclear plant along Lake Erie says a lack of exterior weatherproofing coating caused concrete to crack in the outer shell protecting the plant.
FirstEnergy Corp. told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that the exterior cracking at the Davis-Besse (BEHS'-ee) plant near Toledo traces back to a 1978 blizzard when wind, rain and a drastic temperature drop caused moisture to penetrate the concrete. The Blade newspaper (http://bit.ly/woM18U ) reports the utility says the moisture caused the concrete to freeze and expand, prompting the cracks found in October.
FirstEnergy is proposing it could apply a weatherproofing coating and make sure the cracks haven't spread. It also proposes a long-term monitoring plan.
The NRC allowed the plant to begin producing electricity again in December after the first cracks were found.
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Information from: The Blade, http://www.toledoblade.com/