Diablo Canyon nuke plant reactor back in service

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.

Water pump repairs are complete on a Diablo Canyon nuclear power reactor that was shut down for a week after sensors detected a problem at the California coastal plant.

Plant operator Pacific Gas & Electric Co., a subsidiary of PG&E Corp., says Unit 2 at the twin-reactor San Luis Obispo County facility was back in service Saturday afternoon. PG&E spokesman Kory Raftery says the Unit 2 reactor was returned to full power at 2:27 p.m.

It was shut down March 26 because of a feed water pump problem in a non-nuclear portion of the plant that supplies water to the unit's steam generators.

The Unit 1 reactor remained in operation.

Diablo Canyon's twin reactors produce about 2,300 megawatts of electricity, enough to supply three million homes.