Allison M. Macfarlane, the chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, talks about her tour of the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Power Station on Monday Jan. 14, 2013 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The plant located between Los Angeles and San Diego hasn't produced electricity in nearly a year, after a tiny radiation leak led to the discovery of excessive wear on hundreds of tubes that carry radioactive water. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
-
Allison M. Macfarlane, the chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, talks about her tour of the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Power Station on Monday Jan. 14, 2013 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The plant located between Los Angeles and San Diego hasn't produced electricity in nearly a year, after a tiny radiation leak led to the discovery of excessive wear on hundreds of tubes that carry radioactive water. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
-
Allison M. Macfarlane, the chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, talks about her tour of the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Power Station Monday Jan. 14, 2013 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The plant located between Los Angeles and San Diego hasn't produced electricity in nearly a year, after a tiny radiation leak led to the discovery of excessive wear on hundreds of tubes that carry radioactive water. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
-
In this photo provided by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Allison M. Macfarlane, the chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, listens to San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station staff during a tour of the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Power Station on Monday Jan. 14, 2013 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The plant located between Los Angeles and San Diego hasn't produced electricity in nearly a year, after a tiny radiation leak led to the discovery of excessive wear on hundreds of tubes that carry radioactive water. (AP Photo/Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
-
In this photo provided by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Allison M. Macfarlane, second right, the chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, listens as Richard St. Onge, Director of Nuclear Regulatory Affairs for Southern Cal Edison, points to the steam generator during a tour of the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Power Station on Monday Jan. 14, 2013 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The plant located between Los Angeles and San Diego hasn't produced electricity in nearly a year, after a tiny radiation leak led to the discovery of excessive wear on hundreds of tubes that carry radioactive water. (AP Photo/Nuclear Regulatory Commission)
-
Art Howell, Deputy Regional Administrator for Region 4 of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, talks about the status of the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Power Station on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The plant located between Los Angeles and San Diego hasn't produced electricity in nearly a year, after a tiny radiation leak led to the discovery of excessive wear on hundreds of tubes that carry radioactive water. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
-
Greg Warnick, the NRC Senior Resident Inspector of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, speaks as Allison M. Macfarlane, the chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, listens following her tour of the troubled San Onofre Nuclear Power Station on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013 in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The plant located between Los Angeles and San Diego hasn't produced electricity in nearly a year, after a tiny radiation leak led to the discovery of excessive wear on hundreds of tubes that carry radioactive water. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
-
Police were called in during the dry season to escort Woodside convoys to the controversial site. (file)
Mass. nuclear plant shuts down during snowstorm
PLYMOUTH, Mass. (
AP) — The
Nuclear Regulatory Commission says a power plant in Massachusetts has lost power and shut down during a massive snowstorm.
The NRC says the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth experienced an automatic shutdown at around 9:15 p.m. Friday after losing off-site power. Spokesman Neil Sheehan says the plant has declared an unusual event, which is the lowest level of emergency classification.
Sheehan says that the reactor shut down without any problems and that backup generators are powering plant equipment.
The NRC says there's no threat to public safety.
The shutdown came as a major snowstorm began clobbering the New York-to-Boston corridor, knocking out power to more than 300,000 customers in Massachusetts.
Tags:
ap, nuclear regulatory commission, nrc, science_technology, massachusetts, threat, nuclear power, three mile island accident, nuclear safety, friday, mass., electricity generation, lowest level, public safety, nuclear fission, sustainable energy, united states atomic energy commission, reactor, plymouth, pilgrim nuclear power, backup generators, snowstorm, new york-to-boston corridor, massive snowstorm, power plant, spokesman neil sheehan, nuclear plant shuts, major snowstorm, automatic shutdown, off-site power, unusual event, emergency classification, plant equipment