Nuclear Reactor’s Closure Extended

PG&E; Corp.’s Pacific Gas & Electric unit, California’s largest utility, will extend refueling of a nuclear reactor by five days to check for leaks in steam-generator tubes, a spokesman said.

Diablo Canyon 2 was taken out of service for refueling on Feb. 3. The plant, which can produce 1,100 megawatts, or enough power for 900,000 U.S. homes, is in Avila Beach, between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Inspectors have found leaks in more than 1% of Diablo Canyon 2’s 13,000 steam-generator tubes during the refueling, Pacific Gas spokesman Jeff Lewis said. In previous refueling, 3.2% of the tubes were plugged because of leaks, he said. Once 15% of the tubes are plugged, the plant will no longer be able to produce its full 1,100-megawatt capacity, Lewis said.