Electrical fault forces 1 of 3 reactors at Palo Verde nuke plant outside Phoenix to shut down

Short circuit closes 1 reactor at Ariz. nuke plant

PHOENIX — One of three reactors at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station outside Phoenix shut down automatically after an electrical short circuit cut power to two of the unit’s four coolant pumps.

Crews will inspect the plant Monday and make necessary repairs before the reactor is restarted, said Arizona Public Service Co. spokesman Jim McDonald said.

The short occurred in a high voltage electrical panel connecting a transformer to reactor equipment late Sunday morning, McDonald said.

An APS report filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says all reactor shutdown systems operated normally. The reactor was running at 100 percent power at the time of the incident.