Exelon : Oyster Creek Remains Online During Winter Storm Grayson

FORKED RIVER, N.J. - Oyster Creek Generating Station continues to provide critical electricity to regional customers this weekend, despite record-breaking arctic weather. Operators at the station are closely monitoring a host of environmental conditions and making power level adjustments to ensure safety and minimize impact on aquatic life.

Earlier this morning, operators reduced power and declared an Unusual Event as unusually low tides and high winds impacted water levels in the bay and subsequently, the plant's intake canal. Minimum water levels were established as one of many conservative measures to ensure that operators have access to multiple and redundant sources of cooling water in the event of an emergent shutdown.

An Unusual Event is the lowest of four emergency classifications established by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Although water levels have returned to normal, the classification will remain in place until operators confirm that this environmental anomaly will not recur with the next tidal change. Exelon Generation remains in contact with all appropriate federal, state and local officials regarding plant conditions.

Oyster Creek is located about 60 miles east of Philadelphia in Ocean County, New Jersey. The plant produces 636 net megawatts of electricity at full power, enough electricity to supply 600,000 typical homes, the equivalent to all homes in Monmouth and Ocean counties combined.