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Nuclear Plant Operating at Reduced Capacity so Workers can Fix Leak by Staff Tri-City Herald, July 9, 2009

TRI-CITIES The Columbia Generating Station in Richland is operating at about 55 percent capacity so workers can fix a leak in a pipe in the nuclear power plant's condenser system.

The leak caused a small fire two weeks ago that forced the power plant off-line for several days. The plant went back online July 1, but operators decided today to reduce production to 55 percent capacity so the leak can be safely repaired.

Rochelle Olson, Energy Northwest's corporate communications officer, said the plant was taken up to or close to full power so the leak could be found.

"It wasn't something they could determine when the plant was offline," she said of the leak's location.

The condenser system will be replaced during the plant's next refueling outage, scheduled for 2011.