Perry Nuclear Power Plant Returns to Service After Refueling and Maintenance Outage
AKRON, Ohio, April 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), announced its Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Perry, Ohio, returned to service at 5:27 p.m. today following a March 9, 2015, shutdown for refueling and maintenance.
The 1,268-megawatt unit is currently operating at 22 percent power. Power levels will vary over the next several days as part of routine testing. The plant is expected to reach full power in the next several days.
During the outage, 280 of the 748 fuel assemblies were exchanged. Numerous inspections and preventative maintenance and improvement projects were completed to ensure continued safe operations, including installation of a new, large transformer and two new feedwater heaters. The 20 ft. tall, 115-ton transformer provides power from the off-site transmission network to the plant’s onsite electrical systems, while the feedwater heaters preheat the water used in the reactor vessel. Both of these projects are expected to enhance reliability and efficiency of plant operation.
