Hurricane Irene forced two nuclear power plant off line and reduced power at two others as it barreled up the U.S. East Coast.
CENG reported Unit 1 at its Calvert Cliff, Maryland refinery was shut automatically after a transformer was hit by some aluminum siding. The company said the facility was safe and there was no impact to the surrounding area, and Unit 2 was still operational.
Exelon Corp took its Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in New Jersey offline at 5 p.m. EDT Saturday.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said it sent additional staff to monitor conditions and storm preparation at the 14 nuclear units from Maryland to New Hampshire in Irene's path as well as a nuclear fuel production plant in North Carolina.
Dominion Resources Inc is reducing power at its two-unit 2,111-megawatt Millstone plant in Connecticut ahead of the storm, a company spokesman said.
Progress Energy's Brunswick nuclear plant, perched on the North Carolina coast, cut to 65 to 75 percent power late Friday and does not expect to return to full power until after the storm has fully passed, a spokesman said.
Dominion shut down its North Anna nuclear power station because of an earthquake Tuesday. The two-unit, 1,950-megawatt North Anna plant will remain shut through the storm.
The company's two-unit, 1,598-MW Surry plant in Virginia was designed to withstand winds of 360 mph and is expected to remain at full power throughout the storm, a spokesman said Saturday.
Entergy Corp, which operates the Indian Point nuclear plant in Buchanan, New York, said operations were not affected by the hurricane and the plant remained open Saturday evening.
Constellation's Calvert Cliffs plants and Exelon's Limerick units were at full power and expected to remain so throughout the storm. PSEG continues to monitor the storm and its Salem and Hope Creek plants in New Jersey remained at full power.
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