USA - Regulators inspect nuclear power plant

Dubuque Telegraph Herald - Dubuque,IA,USA
BYRON, Ill. -- Federal regulators are inspecting a nuclear power station in northern Illinois operated by a unit of Exelon Corp. after a pipe leak was found last week.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday it is conducting a special inspection at the Byron Nuclear Power Station to review what caused pipe corrosion in the equipment cooling water system and a subsequent leak in one pipe. The two-reactor station, located about 25 miles southwest of Rockford, is operated by Exelon Generation Co.

The company shut down both reactors Oct. 19 to repair the leak and inspect similar pipes, which carry non-radioactive water from the plant where it is used to cool safety equipment back to basins under fan-driven cooling towers.

The loss of one of the pipes would not disable the system, but repairs are required.