Oyster Creek Nearly Back To Full Power After Two Unplanned Shutdowns

by Patricia A. Miller

The Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station is operating at 99 percent of power, after two unplanned shutdowns earlier this month, a federal Nuclear Regulatory spokesman said.

"The problem that led to a loss of condenser vacuum and a shutdown last week was resolved," said Neil R. Sheehan.

But the plant on Route 9 in Lacey Township will now require additional NRC scrutiny because it had more than three unplanned shutdowns over the previous 7,000 hours of operation, he said.

"We'll have to verify the Performance Indicator data at the end of the quarter," Sheehan said. "But preliminarily, it appears this will result in a change in NRC oversight for Oyster Creek."

Plant operators manually scrammed (shut down) the plant at 3:12 a.m. on July 11 after they discovered a reduction in vacuum conditions inside the condenser.

The condenser - which cools down and condenses steam produced by the reactor after it has passed through the turbine - is operated in a vacuum condition to maximize efficiency, Sheehan has said.

Oyster Creek operators took the plant off line on July 7, due to "degradation" of  five solenoid electromatic relief valves used in the plant's cooling system.  

"We’re still reviewing the electromagnetic relief valve issue," Sheehan said today. "Any findings related to that will be documented in an upcoming inspection report."

Oyster Creek is the oldest nuclear plant in the United States. It went online on Dec. 23, 1969.