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Richland's Nuclear Plant Powers Down for Repair by Staff The News Tribune, April 6, 2010

RICHLAND -- Energy Northwest will power down its nuclear power plant near Richland to 40 percent of capacity this morning to allow workers to make a repair.

It reduced power to 81 percent Saturday to isolate the source of a possible problem, which was traced to a pinhole-sized tube leak in a water heater.

After steam goes through the turbine to produce power, some of the steam is exhausted off and turned into water.

The water heaters are used to increase its temperature before it is recycled back to the reactor.

Reducing the power today will lower the radiation exposure to workers making the repair, said Rochelle Olson, Energy Northwest spokeswoman.