A transformer failed at New York's Indian Point 3 nuclear power plant Saturday, causing a fire that has been extinguished. A spokesman for plant owner Entergy says the unit shut down automatically and is safe and stable.
The transformer takes energy created by the plant and changes the voltage for the grid supplying power to the state. On Saturday afternoon, the failure sparked a blaze extinguished by a sprinkler system and on-site personnel. Entergy spokesman Jerry Nappi says the company is investigating and it's not clear how long Unit 3 will be down. The company's Unit 2 plant was not affected. Nappi says there was no radioactive release, adding that no one was ever in any danger and no evacuations were necessary.
Unit 3 had been shut down Thursday to repair a steam leak on the non-nuclear side of the plant and was returned to service Friday.
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