Athens – The Tennessee Valley Authority said today it doesn't know when repairs will be completed on its Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 3 reactor, which has been shut down since December 31st because of a problem with an electrical generator.
TVA spokesman Gil Francis said the work shouldn't take long, but safety is their top priority.
A Nuclear Regulatory Commission report shows the Unit 3 reactor shut down on New Year's Eve because of a signal that indicated a problem with the generator. Workers removed a faulty part called an exciter for repairs.
Unit 3 produces enough power for about 650,000 homes when operational.
Shutdowns in August forced TVA to purchase high-priced power produced by natural gas turbines, but Francis said a January shutdown is unlikely to impact rates since demand for electricity is lower in the winter.
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