Operators shut down unit 2 at PPL's Susquehanna nuclear plant

Monday, Nov 12, 2012

BERWICK, Pa., Nov. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Operators at PPL's Susquehanna nuclear power plant safely shut down the Unit 2 reactor Friday (11/9) because a computer system that controls the reactor's water level was not functioning properly.

Operators manually shut down the reactor when they identified the malfunction and plant systems responded as designed. Susquehanna employees are investigating the reason for the loss of the computer system.

"Our operators are well-trained to manage situations like this," said Timothy S. Rausch, PPL Susquehanna senior vice president and chief nuclear officer. "All systems are functioning as expected to keep the unit in a safe condition."

While the unit is shut down, employees will address the control system malfunction and begin a previously announced turbine blade inspection as part of ongoing efforts to address turbine blade cracking as the plant finalizes long-term solutions.

Unit 1 is operating safely and is unaffected by the loss of the system on Unit 2.

The Susquehanna plant, located in Luzerne County about seven miles north of Berwick, is owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna LLC and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc. and is operated by PPL Susquehanna LLC.

PPL Susquehanna LLC is one of PPL Corporation's generating affiliates. Headquartered in Allentown, Pa., PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) owns or controls through its subsidiaries about 19,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets, and delivers electricity and natural gas to about 10 million customers in the United States and the United Kingdom. More information is available at www.pplweb.com.

SOURCE PPL Susquehanna