PPL Corp. will replace a start-up transformer at the 1,100 MW Unit 2 of the utility’s Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Luzerne County, PA, after a fire hit the transformer last Thursday morning. Company officials said the unit, which was automatically shut down last week when a problem occurred on the non-nuclear side of the plant, will not restart until the damaged transformer is replaced.

The transformer caught fire when the unit was in the process of restarting. Earlier this week, the unit’s main turbine tripped and an automatic shutdown occurred as a result of a loss of main condenser vacuum.

The plant control room was notified of the fire at 2:30 a.m. EDT. The plant’s fire protection brigade responded immediately and the automatic fire suppression system quickly extinguished the fire.

“Our emergency personnel complete extensive training to be prepared for this type of situation,” said Herbert D. Woodeshick, special assistant to the president for PPL Susquehanna. “In addition to our on-site fire team, fire companies from Salem Township, East Berwick and Mocanaqua were called to the site as a precaution.” Woodeshick also said that no plant personnel were injured.

The fire triggered plant operators to declare an unusual event. An unusual event means a minor problem has occurred at the plant that could reduce plant safety. No action by the general public was required. An unusual event is the lowest of the four emergency classifications established by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for nuclear power plants. PPL subsequently declared the end of the unusual event Thursday morning.

Woodeshick said it appears the fire was the result of an internal failure in the Unit 2 start-up transformer. PPL has a spare transformer on site and will replace the transformer before Unit 2 can begin to restart. Unit 1, which also has a capacity of 1,100 MW, continues to operate at 100% power.

The Susquehanna plant, located about seven miles north of Berwick, PA, is owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna LLC and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc. and is operated by PPL Susquehanna.

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