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North Anna Taken To Task For Generator Safety

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Steam vents from secondary cooling systems at the North Anna Nuclear power plant in Mineral, Va. A generator failed at the North Anna plant in Virginia following an August earthquake.
AP Photo/Steve Helber, File
Steam vents from secondary cooling systems at the North Anna Nuclear power plant in Mineral, Va. A generator failed at the North Anna plant in Virginia following an August earthquake.

Two reactors automatically shut down operations at Dominion Virginia Power's North Anna Nuclear Station during the earthquake last August. Now, inspectors with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are outlining violations at the plant revolving around the use of emergency diesel generators.

Regulators say inspectors found that a gasket failure prevented one of the diesel generators from performing its function following the earthquake. While the gasket was replaced the same day, inspectors found the plant did not employ adequate procedures.

NRC officials say the violation was of low to moderate safety significance, but additional inspections are necessary.

Dominion says the violation didn't pose any public safety risk and procedures have been improved.

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