Pump Failure Shuts Reactor at San Onofre
One of three nuclear reactors at the San Onofre nuclear power plant near San Clemente automatically shut down Friday after a reactor coolant pump failed.
Southern California Edison, which operates the plant, said it believed that an electrical problem--perhaps a short--was responsible. There was no radiation release.
The failure came five days after Edison restarted the 1,500-megawatt Unit 3 reactor after a 21-day shutdown to make minor repairs. Those repairs included replacing seals on the reactor coolant pump. Edison spokesman Dave Barron said there was no connection between the two problems. Barron said he did not know how long the unit will be shut down, but he believed that it will be in operation within days. Two other reactors remain in operation.
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