Plant shutdown costs $62 million


Electrical Commissioning In Industrial Power Systems

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 12 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$599
Coupon Price:
$499
Reserve Your Seat Today
A prolonged refueling outage at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Plant is estimated to cost about $62 million.

KansasÂ’ only nuclear power generator, located about 80 miles southwest of Kansas City in Burlington, has been shut down since March 19.

Jenny Hageman, spokeswoman for the Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp., said the plant went offline for planned maintenance and refueling.

ItÂ’s expected to resume normal operations by late May, Hageman said.

Although all nuclear generators go offline for routine refueling and maintenance, Wolf CreekÂ’s inactivity for about two months represents a relatively long period of time for a shutdown, Hageman said.

“It depends on the work that is scheduled,” Hageman said. “They vary based on the scope. Because this was an outage in which we were replacing the turbine rotors, that factors in to the duration.”

Earlier this year, turbine rotors manufactured by General Electric Co. were damaged in transit to Burlington, though Hageman said that has not factored into the prolonged plant shutdown.

Kansas City Power & Light Co. and Westar Energy Inc. each own 47 percent of the Wolf Creek plant, with the Kansas Electric Power Cooperative owning the remaining 6 percent.

ItÂ’s been open since 1985.

On March 8, the Wolf Creek reactor was made the subject of heightened scrutiny by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission due to its safety performance.

That means the plant will undergo more regulatory inspection until safety issues are fixed.

Related News

"Energy war": Ukraine tries to protect electricity supply before winter

Ukraine Power Grid Resilience details preparations for winter blackouts, airstrike defense, decentralized generation, backup generators,…
View more

A new nuclear reactor in the U.S. starts up. It's the first in nearly seven years

Vogtle Unit 3 Initial Criticality marks the startup of a new U.S. nuclear reactor, initiating…
View more

TTC Bans Lithium-Ion-Powered E-Bikes and Scooters During Winter Months for Safety

TTC Winter E-Bike and E-Scooter Ban addresses lithium-ion battery safety, mitigating fire risk on Toronto…
View more

South Africa's Eskom could buy less power from wind farms during lockdown

Eskom Wind Power Curtailment reflects South Africa's lockdown-driven drop in electricity demand, prompting grid-balancing measures…
View more

It's CHEAP but not necessarily easy: Crosbie introduces PCs' Newfoundland electricity rate reduction strategy

Crosbie Hydro Energy Action Plan outlines rate mitigation for Muskrat Falls, leveraging Nalcor oil revenues,…
View more

Manitoba's electrical demand could double in next 20 years: report

Manitoba Hydro Integrated Resource Plan outlines electrification-driven demand growth, clean electricity needs, wind generation, energy…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Live Online & In-person Group Training

Advantages To Instructor-Led Training – Instructor-Led Course, Customized Training, Multiple Locations, Economical, CEU Credits, Course Discounts.

Request For Quotation

Whether you would prefer Live Online or In-Person instruction, our electrical training courses can be tailored to meet your company's specific requirements and delivered to your employees in one location or at various locations.