Faulty weld in pipe shuts down Louisiana nuclear power plant
Published 3:50 pm Thursday, August 1, 2019
Entergy has temporarily shut down a nuclear power plant in Louisiana to fix a pipe weld in an emergency system.
Entergy nuclear spokesman Mike Bowling says the likely length of the shutdown is “business-sensitive,” so he can’t talk about it. He says the utility has plans to provide all the power needed during the hot summer.
According to Entergy’s website, Waterford 3 produces more than 1,100 megawatts of electricity and about 10 percent of Louisiana’s needs. It’s in Killona, about 21.5 miles (35 kilometers) west of New Orleans.
Bowling says the weld’s in a system to slow reactions if a quick shutdown is needed.
He says crews have been monitoring the weld, and it’s at the point where technical specifications require repair. He says the plant was shut down Thursday.