Oconee County Emergency Management said a transformer caught fire at the Oconee Nuclear Station.
Fire Chief Charlie King said the transformer was away from a reactive building. Firefighters responded to the fire at 3:19 p.m. and said when they arrived on scene, the transformer outside the building was well involved in fire.
The fire was declared an unusual event, the lowest of four nuclear emergency classifications. An alert was also declared, the second level of emergency classification, due to a downed power line associated with the oil-filled transformer.
Forty firefighters from Oconee and Pickens County as well as the onsite fire brigade worked to control the fire in just over half an hour.
Below is the statement released by OCEM after the fire:
At 3:19 pm, personnel at Oconee Nuclear Station requested assistance for a fire on site. Keowee Fire arrived on scene within 10 minutes to find a large transformer outside of the building well involved in fire. Approximately 40 firefighters from both the onsite fire brigade and Oconee & Pickens County were able to bring the fire under control in just over 30 minutes. The transformer is located outside of the building. There was no damage to the building or the containment area. Unit #1 was shut down as a precaution. There is NO POTENTIAL FOR RELEASE. No Evacuations or traffic detours are needed. However, we ask that the public stay away from the area as emergency personnel and Duke Energy staff work around the area. There were no injuries sustained during the fire.
Crews are continuing to work with on site personnel to ensure the transformer remains cool and that there is no further extension. The run off from the firefighting water mixed with foam and transformer oil is being contained on site. Crews will remain on site throughout the evening assisting plant crews as needed.
The Oconee Nuclear Plant is located on Lake Keowee and began operation in 1973. It is owned by Duke Energy.
Duke Energy released the following statement regarding the fire:
The Oconee Alert was terminated at 8:16 p.m. An investigation of the transformer fire is underway.
The event at Oconee Nuclear Station was upgraded to an Alert classification at 4:58 p.m. when the fire that occurred earlier today damaged a power line in the station’s switchyard, which resulted in an equipment fault. Per procedure, an Alert must be declared when a fire causes loss of electrical equipment.
An Alert is the second in increasing significance of four nuclear emergency classifications. This classification is used to describe conditions that require emergency response agencies to be in a heightened state of readiness, but pose no threat to public safety.
An unusual event was declared at Oconee Nuclear Station today at due to a transformer fire in the Unit 1 switchyard at 3:20 p.m.
Unit 1 has been safely shutdown and Units 2 and 3 continue to operate safely.
Site fire brigade responded with assistance provided by local fire responders.
The fire has been extinguished
There was no impact to plant neighbors or employees.
We will be conducting a thorough investigation of the cause.
An Unusual Event is the lowest of four nuclear emergency classifications. This classification describes a condition or event that is outside of normal plant operations, but poses no threat to public safety.