Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant 's generator and reactor remain at high temperatures, which is known as a 'hot' shutdown.

Brattleboro Reformer - Headlines: "Yankee still shut down, probe continues

By CAROLYN LORI�
Reformer Staff

BRATTLEBORO -- Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant remains shut down today, after an electrical problem took it offline on Monday afternoon.

Rob Williams, spokesman for the plant, said the incident is still under investigation. It is believed that a broken electrical insulator in the plant's switchyard caused the problem.

The insulator, said Williams, was sent out for inspection.

No radiation was released during the incident and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission classified it as a non-emergency.

The plant's generator and reactor remain at high temperatures, which is known as a 'hot' shutdown. If the plant remains inactive for an extended period of time, plant operators could be forced to go to a 'cold' shut down, which would make returning to power more complex and costly.

In the meantime, Vermont's utilities are buying power on the spot market, which is considerably more expensive than power from Vermont Yankee."