Story Category: Public Works And Energy »

The first unit at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Lusby was shut down Sunday, Aug. 12 due to a control rod that dropped into the reactor core, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reported.

According to the notification document forwarded to NRC inspectors, the unit’s control element assembly dropped into the core at approximately 12:34 p.m. The document indicates technicians were unable to correct the situation within two hours, prompting a “plant shutdown required by technical specifications.”

The event is classified as non-emergency. “The licensee has notified the NRC resident inspector,” the document stated. “The licensee will also notify local government agencies.”

Kory Raftery, a spokesman for Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, the owners and operators of the plant, confirmed Monday afternoon that Unit 1 is still out of service while maintenance work is being done. "Once the maintenance and testing is completed we'll bring Unit 1 back on line," said Raftery, who added that the situation posed no risk to the public or the facility. he would not speculate on when the unit might be ready to go back on line.

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com