Valve leak at Pilgrim nuclear plant forces shutdown; no safety threat, officials say

By Lauren Dezenski, Globe Correspondent

Pilgrim Station technicians are investigating what caused a leak in a safety relief valve, prompting operators to shut down the Plymouth nuclear plant early Monday morning, plant officials said.

Operators investigated a “minor leak associated with a pilot valve on one of the plant’s four safety relief valves,” officials from Entergy Nuclear, which owns and operates the nuclear plant, said in a statement.

The plant is currently “in a safe, stable condition and there is no threat to public safety,” the statement said.

The plant will remain off-line until a “thorough evaluation of the shutdown is conducted and any necessary repairs are made,” company officials said.

Pilgrim Station was shut down less than two weeks ago because of tripped recirculation pumps, which are used to adjust power levels in the plant, according to a plant spokeswoman.