NEW YORK - A group of Cuban nationals who fled their country by boat landed in the cooling canal of a nuclear power plant along Florida's coast on Thanksgiving Day, according to a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission event report issued Friday.
The plant's operations were not disrupted by the incident, according to the report.
The Turkey Point nuclear power plant control room received a call from an individual stating that he was a member of a group of 33 Cuban nationals that had landed in the cooling canal. The group was made up of 29 adults and 4 children.
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The plant's control room notified security, who located the Cubans. Security then contacted local law enforcement, the Miami-Dade Police, requesting assistance.
The U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement were in turn notified by Miami-Dade Police.
The Turkey Point station is located in Florida City, in Miami-Dade County, about 25 miles south of Miami.
The plant is owned by FPL Group Inc.
The 693-megawatt Turkey Point 4 reactor remained shut for planned refueling and maintenance, while the 693-MW Unit 3 continued to run at full power on Friday, an NRC report said.
The 2,196-MW station also includes several oil and natural gas-fired units.
One MW powers about 300 homes in Florida.
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