PSEG Nuclear's Salem 1 reactor returns to service in Lower Alloways Creek a week after shutdown

LOWER ALLOWAYS CREEK TWP. —  The Salem 1 nuclear reactor here returned to service today, one week after it automatically shut down and an “unusual event” was declared at the site.

According to Joe Delmar, spokesman for the plant’s operator, PSEG Nuclear, Salem 1 began sending power out over the regional power grid today at 1:25 p.m.

Late this afternoon the plant — one of three at PSEG Nuclear’s Artificial Island generating complex along the Delaware River here in Lower Alloways Creek — was at about 25 percent power and ascending to full power.

Salem 1 automatically tripped off-line April 30 as crews were conducting testing on the plant’s emergency reactor shutdown system, according to Delmar.

After the reactor shutdown, multiple fire alarms sounded. Per federal regulations, PSEG Nuclear is required to investigate all fire alarms within 15 minutes.

Since crews were unable to do so, an unusual event was declared. An unusual event is the least serious of  four emergency classifications at a nuclear power plant. Once it was confirmed there was no fire at the plant, the unusual event was declared over.

According to Delmar, the cause of the shutdown was traced to a voltage issue in one of the two subsystems of the Solid State Protection System, the plant’s emergency reactor shutdown system.

“The system has an extensive number of circuit cards and circuitry which involved extensive trouble-shooting to make sure everything was in order,” Delmar said of the plant’s week off-line.

“We needed to conduct a thorough review to better understand the issue and make full repairs. We wanted to be certain everything was in order before returning the unit to service,” he said today.

Salem 1 is one of three reactors operated by PSEG Nuclear at the Island. Neighboring Salem 2 was not impacted and continues to operate at full power.

The third reactor, Hope Creek, is currently shut down for a scheduled refueling outage.

Officials from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which oversees the operation of the nation’s 104 nuclear power plants, have been monitoring the shutdown. The NRC has resident inspectors permanently stationed at the generating site.

The three reactors comprise the second largest nuclear generating complex in the United States.

When all three reactors are operating at full power they can produce enough electricity to power three million homes.

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