Inspection Finds Hole In Pipe At Turkey Point Nuclear Plant
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, FBI, FPL Investigating
POSTED: Monday, April 3, 2006
UPDATED: 11:41 am EDT April 3,
2006
MIAMI -- A small hole was found in a pipe at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant, and now officials are trying to determine if the hole was drilled accidentally or deliberately.
According to Florida Power and Light, the two nuclear units at Turkey Point are shut down once every 18 months for routine refueling and maintenance. Unit 3 was shut down a couple weeks ago, according to FPL, and the fueling and maintenance was completed. Inspectors then conducted routine tests and inspections on Thursday, and FPL said that is when the 1/8-inch hole was discovered in a pipe that releases pressure.
FPL spokeswoman Rachel Scott said that other maintenance work had been performed in the area where the hole was found.
Scott said that although the investigation is continuing, FPL intends to plans to bring the unit back into service in about a week.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and FBI are conducting their own investigations.
''We want to make sure that we do a very thorough investigation and that we evaluate all possibilities,'' Scott said.
FPL customers were not affected by the routine shutdown, Scott said. The power plant's second nuclear unit as well as two units powered by oil and natural gas were fully operational, and the plant was in no danger, according to Scott.
Copyright 2006 by Local10.com.
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