Reactor at San Onofre automatically shuts down
SAN ONOFRE One of the San Onofre nuclear power plant's reactors automatically shut down Sunday after a problem developed with a circulating water system.
The reactor, Unit 2, which generates about 1,100 megawatts of electricity, was still not operating yesterday morning.
The other reactor, Unit 3, was operating at full power.
Southern California Edison, which operates the plant, reported the incident to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as a “nonemergency.”
Reactors are programmed to shut down automatically in some instances. In this case, water circulating through the plant slowed, causing a rise in water temperature. That triggered an automatic reactor shutdown, according to the report filed with the NRC.
A plant spokesman couldn't be reached for comment yesterday.