Indian Point Reactor Shuts Down During Sandy

Buchanan, NY—A disruption in the electrical grid caused Indian Point Energy Center's Unit 3 nuclear power plant to shut down Monday night.

The plant shut down just before 10:45 p.m. No radiation was released and there was no threat to the safety of workers or the public.

Indian Point's other reactor, Unit 2, is at full power and has been running continuosly for 146 days. Unit 3 had been online for 201 days prior to last night's shut down.

"Our electrical generator sends power out to the grid and the connection, somewhere in the grid, was lost and we had nowhere to send our power," said Jerri Nappi, a spokesman for the nuclear power plant. "If our generator can't get power out to the grid, it's designed to shut itself down automatically to protect itself from electrical damae."

Nappi said Unit 3 should be back online in two to three days.

Indian Point's two operating nuclear powerplants generate roughly 2,000 megawatts of electricity for homes, business and public facilities in New York City and Westchester County.