http://www.newsday.com/ap/rnmpne15.htm Penn. Nuclear Plant Shut Down

LIMERICK, Pa. (AP) -- One of the two nuclear reactors at PECO Energy Co.'s Limerick Generating Station was shut down this morning after a piece of equipment failed.

Company spokesman Neil McDermott said the problem was not Y2K-related.

It was declared an ``unusual event,'' the least serious emergency classification at a nuclear power plant.

The 2:55 a.m. shutdown occurred when an insulator on the main generator transformer for Limerick Unit 2 failed, McDermott said. The transformer is non-nuclear equipment used to increase the voltage of the unit's output before sending electricity out to the power distribution system.

The 1,100-megawatt generating unit will be out of service until the insulator can be repaired, he said.

PECO Energy is a private utility that serves the Philadelphia area.s (PROFILE (CO:PECO Energy; TS:PE; IG:ELC;) )

AP-NY-12-31-99 0722EST

-- Anonymous, December 31, 1999