Plant shutdown costs $62 million


CSA Z462 Arc Flash Training – Electrical Safety Compliance Course

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

  • Live Online
  • 6 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$249
Coupon Price:
$199
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

Hydro-Quebec shocks cottage owner with $5,300 in retroactive charges

Hydro-Quebec back-billing arises from analogue meter errors and estimated consumption, leading to arrears for electricity…
View more

Nova Scotia regulator approves 14% electricity rate hike, defying premier

Nova Scotia Power Rate Increase 2023-2024 approved by the UARB lifts electricity rates 14 percent,…
View more

Vietnam Redefines Offshore Wind Power Regulations

Vietnam Offshore Wind Regulations expand coastal zones to six nautical miles, remove water depth limits,…
View more

Ontario Teachers' Plan Acquires Brazilian Electricity Transmission Firm Evoltz

Ontario Teachers' Evoltz Acquisition expands electricity transmission in Brazil, adding seven grid lines across ten…
View more

Cheap material converts heat to electricity

Polycrystalline Tin Selenide Thermoelectrics enable waste heat recovery with ZT 3.1, matching single crystals while…
View more

Saskatchewan to credit solar panel owners, but not as much as old program did

Saskatchewan Solar Net Metering Program lets rooftop solar users offset at retail rate while earning…
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.