Salem Nuclear Power Plant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Salem Nuclear Power Plant |
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The entire PSEG nuclear complex as seen from Augustine Beach, Delaware.
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Lower Alloways Creek, Salem County, New Jersey |
| Coordinates | 39°27′46″N 75°32′8″W / 39.46278°N 75.53556°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | September 25, 1968 |
| Commission date | Unit 1: June 30, 1977 Unit 2: October 13, 1981 |
| Construction cost | $4.283 billion (2007 USD) |
| Owner(s) | Exelon (43%) PSEG (57%) |
| Operator(s) | PSEG |
| Website Salem Generating Station |
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The Salem Nuclear Power Plant is a large power station in New Jersey, USA. It uses two special machines called pressurized water reactors to make electricity. These reactors are a type of nuclear power plant.
The plant is located in Lower Alloways Creek Township, which is in Salem County. It is owned by two companies: PSEG Nuclear LLC and Exelon Generation LLC.
Contents
Where is the Plant Located?
The Salem Nuclear Power Plant is built on an artificial island. This island is in the Delaware Bay. It shares the island with another power plant called the Hope Creek Nuclear Power Plant.
How the Reactors Work
The Salem plant has two reactors. Both are PWRs, which means they use pressurized water to create energy. The company Westinghouse built these reactors.
Unit 1 started making electricity for people in 1977. Unit 2 began in 1981. Together, they can produce a lot of power, about 2,275 megawatts.
The government allows Unit 1 to operate until August 13, 2036. Unit 2 can operate until April 18, 2040. In 2009, the plant asked to keep operating for 20 more years. The government approved this in 2011.
People Living Near the Plant
Safety experts set up two special areas around nuclear power plants. These are called emergency planning zones.
- The first zone is about 10 miles wide. It focuses on protecting people from airborne radioactive materials.
- The second zone is about 50 miles wide. It focuses on keeping food and water safe from contamination.
In 2010, about 52,091 people lived within 10 miles of the Salem plant. This number grew by over 50% in ten years. About 5.4 million people lived within 50 miles. This includes the big city of Philadelphia, which is about 43 miles away.
Plant Safety and Upkeep
Over the years, the Salem plant has had some challenges with its maintenance. In the 1990s, the reactors were shut down for two years. This was to fix problems like a leaky generator and issues with controls. Workers also felt worried about reporting problems.
In 2004, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) started watching the Salem plants more closely. They wanted to make sure everything was safe. After a big investigation, they found some small problems. These included not enough routine maintenance and low morale among workers. However, the NRC said the plant was safe to operate.
On August 22, 2013, the plant briefly shut down because of a small leak. Slightly radioactive water leaked inside the plant's special containment building. Regulators said there was no danger to the public. The plant was back up and running in less than 48 hours.
In May 2014, Unit 2 had a scheduled break for refueling. During this time, broken bolts were found in a cooling pump. Experts from Westinghouse came to inspect the pumps. They found bolts at the bottom of the cooling pumps and the reactor. Unit 2 was fixed and started working again on July 11, 2014.
Water Use for Cooling
Both reactors at Salem use water from the Delaware Bay to cool down. The plant has a special building that takes in water. It has a rotating screen to catch debris like grass. Sometimes, a lot of grass can clog the intakes. When this happens, the reactors might run at a lower power for a few weeks.
All the extra heat from making electricity goes into the bay. The plant makes sure the water temperature in the bay does not go up too much. In summer, it can only increase by less than 1 degree Celsius. The rest of the year, it can increase by up to 2 degrees Celsius. There is a large cooling tower nearby, but that belongs to the Hope Creek plant and is not used by Salem.
Famous Employee
Did you know that actor Bruce Willis once worked at the Salem Nuclear Power Plant? He was a security guard there before he became a famous actor!
Images for kids
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Letter from Senator Joseph Biden to USNRC about Combustible Silicone Foam Page 1 of 2
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Letter from Senator Joseph Biden to USNRC about Combustible Silicone Foam Page 2 of 2
See also
In Spanish: Planta de energía nuclear Salem para niños
