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LUSBY — Constellation Energy Nuclear Group says it has shut down one of two reactors at its Calvert Cliffs plant in southern Maryland after a malfunction caused a drop in power generation.
A spokesman said Monday that a control rod unexpectedly dropped into the reactor core. Control rods are used to regulate the pace of the nuclear reaction.
A Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman says such events are infrequent but do not pose a risk to the public. He says shutting down the unit for inspections and maintenance was a prudent decision.
Plant spokesman Kory Raftery says he can’t predict when Unit 1 will return to operation. He says Unit 2 is running at full power.
The plant is located along the Chesapeake Bay near Lusby, about 70 miles south of Baltimore.
This is my second attempt:
Calvert Cliffs was part of a settlement with Constellation/BGE for rate fraud. Two billion dollars in settlement went towards assuring these companies, as part of restitution of these fraudulent gains, take over costs of maintenance and shut down of Calvert Cliffs. When Exelon merged with these utitlities they would have inherited that public debt. I have heard nothing about this in the merger. There needs to be an accounting of this in the media and this article lays the groundwork.