Thursday, 4:30 PM
Officials ask for safety check of nuclear plants
By Raja Mishra, Globe Staff
Federal officials have asked nuclear power plants in Massachusetts and Vermont to check for potential safety problems after a sister plant in Minnesota was shut down after safety concerns.
The Monticello plant has been closed since Jan. 10, when problems developed with a 35,000-pound box that contains steam pressure controls. No radiation was released but Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials alerted the Pilgrim plant in Plymouth and the Vermont Yankee plant in Vernon, as well as plants in New Jersey and New York, because they are similarly designed.
A NRC spokeswoman said today there is no evidence any of the plants have similar problems, though all four will conduct safety reviews in the coming weeks as a precaution.
