Ameren’s (NYSE:AEE) Callaway nuclear plant in Missouri remained offline July 29 as the company checks for damage following a weekend fire at the facility.
Late on the night of July 26 Callaway nuclear power plant declared an ‘Unusual Event’ with NRC as a result of a small fire in the turbine building.
“The fire was extinguished, and the center is currently out of service in accordance with safety protocols and procedures. At no time did the situation threaten the public or nearby communities. No one was injured,” Ameren said in a July 27 statement.
There was no release of radioactivity to the environment above normal operating limits, Ameren said. All appropriate federal, state and local agencies have been notified.
Ameren Missouri and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have started an investigation. An assessment is underway to determine when Callaway can return to service.
The company noted that the blaze was located in a non-nuclear part of the plant.
Callaway is a single-unit pressurized water reactor (PWR) in Callaway County, Mo. It has a generating capacity of roughly 1,200 MW. The plant typically generates about 20% of the electricity supplied to Ameren Missouri’s 1.2 million customers.
Ameren’s Callaway plant filed its license renewal application in December 2011. The Missouri nuclear plant’s current license extends until October 2024.
