Xcel Energy Inc. : Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant terminates alert declaration

ST. PAUL, Minn.- Operators at Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant at 2:08 p.m. today terminated an alert declared early this morning in response to a chemical spill.

The alert was declared at 3:53 a.m. after a plant worker reported a break in a 2-inch pipe going to a tank containing approximately 500 gallons of liquid sodium hypochlorite, which is an industrial bleach. The contents of the tank drained into a catch basin around the tank. There was no release of the chemical to the river.

The health and safety of the public was not threatened by this event. There was no release of radioactive material associated with this event, and no injuries occurred.

The cause of the spill is being investigated.

The incident has not affected plant operations; both units continue to operate at full power.

An alert is the second lowest of four emergency classifications established by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purpose of an alert is to assure that emergency personnel are readily available to assist the station and to provide off-site authorities with current status information.

The Prairie Island nuclear plant is 28 miles southeast of Minneapolis-St. Paul and about six miles northwest of Red Wing. The plant's two pressurized water reactors generate 1,076 megawatts of electricity, enough to power nearly 1 million homes.