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Errant bird poop stopped New York nuclear reactor for three days

Updated on: 05 March,2016 09:34 AM IST  | 
Agencies |

An errant bird dropping was the likely cause of a temporary shutdown of part of the Indian Point nuclear plant outside New York City, the operator has concluded.

Errant bird poop stopped New York nuclear reactor for three days

New York: An errant bird dropping was the likely cause of a temporary shutdown of part of the Indian Point nuclear plant outside New York City, the operator has concluded.


A report by Entergy, the site operator, pointed the finger at a bird “streamer” as the cause of the shutdown, which tripped a safety breaker and took a reactor at the site out of commission for three days from December 14. There was no leak of radiation as a result of the accident, and at no time was public health and safety in jeopardy, the report to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission noted.


If a streamer contacts an energised conductor, the current can travel up the stream of poop back to the bird or its perch, resulting in “bird electrocution, power outage and/or line trip,” CNN quoted the report as saying. Additional anti-avian security will be added to minimise the chances of another incident.


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