Talen Energy (NYSE:TLN) operators reconnected Unit 1 at the Susquehanna nuclear power plant to the regional power grid on Monday, June 27, after shutting down for about three weeks to fix a water leak.
The Unit 1 reactor was manually shut down on June 6 to address a water leak inside the unit’s containment structure.
During a thorough inspection of the area, Susquehanna staff identified and subsequently reported a second minor leak from a pipe beneath the reactor vessel to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) on June 8, Talen said in a news release.
Unit 2 at the plant remained fully operational and safely generating electricity at full power. The dual-unit Susquehanna station includes two boiling water reactors (BWRs) that each has a generating capacity of about 1,200 MW.
“We have worked effectively with our equipment vendors and other industry experts to develop and implement the plan to complete repairs to return the unit to reliable service,” said Site Vice President Jon Franke.
The Susquehanna plant, located about seven miles north of Berwick, Pennsylvania is jointly owned by Susquehanna Nuclear, LLC, and Allegheny Electric Cooperative. Susquehanna Nuclear is one of Talen Energy’s generating affiliates.
The publicly-traded Talen, one of the largest competitive energy and power generation companies in the United States, is the subject of an acquisition effort by one of its major shareholders. Talen has entered into a definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Riverstone Holdings LLC.
The agreement, announced June 3, provides for a “go-shop” period, during which Talen Energy may actively solicit, and potentially enter into negotiations with parties that offer alternative proposals. The go-shop period is 40 days.
