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SALEM TWP. – Workers at the nuclear plant in Salem Township addressed a pipe leak that has caused operators to reduce power at both reactors.
The leak is in a 16-inch Fiberglas pipe that supplies water from the Susquehanna River to the cooling tower for Unit 2 at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station. Releasing roughly 5,000 gallons per minute, it flooded an access pit and began spilling down the sloped property before workers were able to pump it into the cooling tower basin.
The situation has since been “stabilized,” plant spokesman Joe Scopelliti said.
Only one of the two lines that feed cooling water ruptured, according to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Neil Sheehan, though both lines were shut down to investigate.
The cooling tower basin holds roughly 7 million gallons, which allowed the company to keep the reactors running even though they were forced to reduce power. Unit 1 was reduced to 70 percent and Unit 2 to 50 percent as of noon on Thursday, Sheehan said.
PPL doesn’t release output unless required to. The pipe leak required a report to the NRC.
The 30-inch main water line was slated for reopening on Thursday afternoon while repair plans for the bypass pipe were being discussed.