NC Brunswick 1 reactor manually shut

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Progress Energy Inc manually shut the 938-megawatt Unit 1 at the Brunswick nuclearpower plant in North Carolina early Thursday after a problemwith the plant's emergency core cooling system, the company toldregulators in a report. The unit shut from 73 percent power, after being reducedfrom 88 percent output, according to reports from the U.S.Nuclear Regulatory Commission. A Progress spokesman said the plant experienced anelectrical fault Wednesday evening that led to a loss of powerto the emergency core cooling system for both units. Temporarypower was restored to the emergency cooling system, but the lossof power for Unit 1's circulating water intake pumps requiredthat the unit be manually shut. The shutdown went safely and workers are currently replacingthe electrical bus to restore the normal power supply, thespokesman said. Unit 1 is scheduled to refuel early next month, according toReuters data. The spokesman said Unit 1 will be brought online as soon asthe repairs are made and operate until its planned refueling. Output at Unit 2, rated at 920 MW, was trimmed to 95 percentfrom 100 percent a day earlier.