Business & Tech
Exelon: Limerick plant back at full power
Unit 2 at the power plant had been offline during an extended refueling outage that also saw the installation of three new transformers.
Unit 2 at Exelon Nuclear's Limerick Generating Station returned to service today after an extended refueling outage that lasted almost a full month.
While the unit was shut down, employees and almost 1,900 supplemental workers replaced one-third of the reactor’s fuel and performed extensive inspections, tests, maintenance and modifications on a variety of components and equipment, the company said in a statement released this morning.
“The refueling outage included 13,000 activities that were performed to prepare the unit for safe and reliable operations through the next 24-month operating cycle,” said Bill Maguire, Limerick site vice president. “One of the most significant projects completed was the replacement of the unit’s to ensure continued reliable operations for many years to come.”
Find out what's happening in Limerick-Royersford-Spring Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The $120 million transformer replacement project brought about 200 additional workers to the site than a typical refueling outage. The three new transformers are designed to operate for 20-30 years. The company is preparing to apply to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for an extension of its operating license that would theoretically keep the plant in operation well into the 2040s.
The company said the influx of workers from outside the area "gives local businesses an extra boost as workers dine in the area and need local accommodations."
