News Releases

MONTICELLO, Minn. -- Operators at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant began a controlled, non-emergency shutdown of the plant at 8:20 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, to repair a heat exchanger in the reactor's coolant system.

The plant is shutdown with all safety systems functioning, and workers will now make repairs. There was no release of radioactivity, and the situation poses no hazard to the public or plant workers.

During outages, Xcel Energy purchases electricity from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator or other utilities or increases electricity production at its other generating plants to ensure an adequate power supply for its customers.

The Monticello nuclear plant, a single-unit boiling water reactor, is 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul and generates 600 megawatts of electricity. Xcel Energy owns and operates the plant.

Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company that provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity customers and 1.9 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies in eight Western and Midwestern states. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis.

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