Quake shuts nuclear power plant in Virginia

24.08.2011 [10:55]
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Baku, August 24 (AZERTAC). Two nuclear reactors at the North Anna power plant outside Richmond, Va. have shut down as a result of the earthquake Tuesday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said.

Twelve other nuclear power plants in New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland have also declared unusual events but have not shut down, the NRC said.

The shutdown at the North Anna facility was automatic, an NRC spokeswoman said, triggered by a 5.9 magnitude earthquake. The plant is located just seven miles northeast of the quake`s epicenter in Mineral, Va. It is 40 miles from Richmond, Va. and 70 miles from Washington, D.C.

Two other plants are located within 100 miles of the epicenter -- Calvert Cliffs near Lusby, Md., and Surry near Williamsburg, Va. Those plants have not reported any problems.

The reactors at North Anna are now relying on power from four back-up diesel generators to run basic plant functions, the NRC spokeswoman said. Those functions include running pumps that keep spent nuclear fuel stored at the plant cool.

Quake shuts nuclear power plant in Virginia

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