The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is conducting a special inspection of Unit 2 at the nuclear-powered PPL Susquehanna plant near Berwick today in reaction to unplanned shutdown on Dec. 19.
The three-member NRC team will evaluate the circumstances surrounding the shutdown, which occurred as the unit was being returned to service following an automatic shutdown on Dec. 16.
An NRC press release said the Dec. 19 shutdown was caused by the failure of a valve that feeds water to the reactor to produce steam.
“While the most recent shutdown did not present any immediate safety concerns for the public or plant workers, it was preceded by unplanned reactor shutdowns on Nov. 9 and Dec. 16,” NRC Region I Administrator Bill Dean said in the release. “Collectively, the shutdowns raise questions regarding operator performance, equipment reliability and, in the most recent event, decision-making. This inspection is warranted to further the NRC’s understanding of these issues and the company’s actions to address them.”
The NRC will issue a report on the results of the Special Inspection within 45 days of its completion.
Unit 2 was returned to service on Dec. 26. Units 1 and 2 are operating at 100 capacity, according to the NRC website.