Generator at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant shut down
A nuclear power plant in Avila Beach shut down one of its two generators after an electrical arc that apparently was sparked during a storm, a utility spokeswoman said Monday night.
Unit 2 at the Diablo Canyon Power Plant went offline automatically Sunday morning as rain fell along the Central Coast, Pacific Gas & Electric spokeswoman Kristin Inman said.
“The system performed as designed and automatically went offline to protect equipment,” PG&E said in as statement.
Inman said a preliminary investigation shows that the arc resulted from a buildup of dust that mixed with moisture on a lightning arrestor. The arrestor is on the non-nuclear side of the plant, the utility said in its statement.
The unit will remain offline until a full investigation is conducted and the lightning arrestor is fixed and tested. “Unit 1 is still operating safely at 100% power and there should be no affect on customers,” Inman said.
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