Local News
Shearon Harris plant shut down
A leaky seal in an area separate from the nuclear reactor forced Progress Energy to take its plant in southwest Wake County offline.
The Shearon Harris nuclear plant was shut down early Monday after inspectors found a leaky seal in the plant's condenser.
Crews were working to repair the seal, which was discovered at about 1 a.m. Monday, but it was unclear Tuesday how long the plant would remain offline, Progress Energy spokeswoman Julia Milstead said.
The condenser converts steam that has been used to power the turbines and generate electricity back into water, Milstead said. The unit – and the leaky seal – is completely separate from the nuclear material at the plant, she said.
The shutdown won't affect Progress Energy's ability to provide electricity to customers, company officials said.
