RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) — The agency that operates the nuclear energy plant in southwestern Washington says that upon further review, it didn’t need to make an “unusual event” declaration when a puff of hydrogen gas ignited on Thursday.
Energy Northwest said the decision to report the incident to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was made in an abundance of caution.
A small amount of hydrogen gas ignited when workers cut into a pipe in a non-nuclear area of the Columbia Generating Station. The 6-inch flame extinguished itself in less than a second, but Energy Northwest declared an unusual event and evacuated two dozen workers until a safety inspection could be completed.
