The nuclear Millstone Power Station in Waterford wants to use hotter water from Long Island Sound to cool its reactor, so the plant doesn’t have to shut down in time of extreme heat.
Millstone owner Dominion this week asked the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to raise the plant’s temperature threshold from 75 degrees to 80 degrees, said Millstone spokesman Ken Holt. A ruling is not expected until next year.
The request comes after last year when Millstone was forced to shut down one of its two reactors in August after the water in the Sound rose above 75 degrees. That was the first and only time Millstone had to shut its reactor because the water to cool it was too hot.
Raising the threshold on temperature will allow the plant to continually operate as Connecticut’s largest source of electricity, Holt said.
While Millstone waits on NRC’s ruling, the plant is monitoring the water temperature in preparation for this summer. Because of the colder winter, the Sound water has been 2-3 degrees above last year’s temperatures, Holt said.
