A power failure at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station nuclear plant triggered an emergency shutdown early Friday morning.

Operators of the Luzerne County nuclear plant, located about 100 miles north of Harrisburg along the Susquehanna River, initiated the shutdown — called a “scram” — after an electrical fault in the facility’s Unit 2 reactor.

“The fault interrupted power supply to some of the systems we use to operate the unit,” said Jon Franke, the site’s vice president, in a written statement. “Our operators determined the need to bring the unit off-line, and completed the shutdown safely, as designed, using established plant procedures and reflecting the conditions they experienced due to the electrical fault.”

Franke said plant workers are still investigating the cause of the power failure. The unit will be brought back on line after repairs are completed, he said.

The plant is owned by Susquehanna Nuclear, an affiliate of Talen Energy, and Allegheny Electric Cooperative.

By Wallace McKelvey | WMckelvey@pennlive.com
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on May 13, 2016 at 7:29 PM, updated May 14, 2016 at 10:07 A