Exelon to residents: Limerick plant "well-secured"

Exelon's Limerick Generating Station is "well-secured and engineered to withstand even secure earthquakes and other natural disasters," site vice-president William Maguire wrote in a letter mailed to residents of the area.

The station faces "little risk from tsunamis," Maguire wrote.

Maguire cited the safeguards required by the federal government's Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which he said account for "the most severe natural phenomena historically reported for each plant's surrounding area."

"As a result, Limerick Generating Station is designed to withstand the maximum earthquake projected for our geographic region. Our generating station is able to withstand and safely shut down down in very strong earthquakes, and the uranium fuel would remain protected," Maguire wrote.

Last month, to experience an earthquake-related event, placing the risk of such an event in any given year at 1 in 18,868.

The Limerick station is "protected by multiple physical barriers and backup safety systems to ensure safe operations even in the most extreme conditions," including offsite power loss, Maguire wrote.

Regarding the crisis that continues to unfold at the heavily damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan, Maguire said the company's employees "stand ready to do everything we can to help at the appropriate time, both in terms of nuclear expertise as well as traditional philanthropic and humanitarian aid."

Maguire said the plant will "soon" hold a "Community Information Night" for "neighbors" of the facility. Plant spokesperson Joe Szafran said via e-mail Monday that the event is scheduled for June 8.