Northeast Nuke Plants Alerted After Safety Problem at Minnesota Plant
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Four Northeast nuclear power plants have been alerted to check for potential safety problems following a failure at a sister plant here that caused a shutdown.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission notified managers of the four plants because they're similar in age and design to the Xcel Energy's Monticello plant, said Jan Strasma, a commission spokesman.
The plants being told to be alert are Vermont Yankee and Oyster Creek in New Jersey, Nine Mile Point in New York, and Pilgrim in Massachusetts.
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"Typically when there's a problem at one plant, we look to see if any aspects have the potential of applying to other plants," Strasma said. "It's a precautionary or prudent notification."
The Monticello plant has been shut down since Jan. 10 when welds failed that held in place a 35,000-pound box containing valves that control steam pressure. No radiation was released, officials said.