Operators took unit 3 at New York’s Indian Point nuclear plant off the grid Tuesday night after routine testing indicated a potential problem with a transformer.
According to an Entergy release, a test showed an increase in gasses in the oil of a transformer that feeds power to some of the reactor’s pumps and motors. As the gases can indicate transformer degradation, the unit was disconnected so engineers could provide an alternative power source to the equipment. Unit 3 had operated continuously for 327 days, according to Entergy. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission reported the reactor was operating at 13 percent power Wednesday afternoon.
Entergy operates two roughly 1,000 megawatt Westinghouse pressurized water reactors at the plant north of New York City. Unit 2 was not affected by the transformer problem.