Ameren reports non-emergency problem at Callaway nuclear plant

PORTLAND, Mo. (KMIZ)

Ameren Missouri reported a drop in steam levels at its Callaway nuclear reactor Saturday, but said a backup system worked as intended.

Plant personnel said in a report to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that at about 1:15 p.m. Saturday low steam levels were reported and that backup systems kicked in to fix the issue.

"All systems responded as expected," according to the report's author.

The incident was classified in the report as a non-emergency.

The Callaway nuclear plant counted for nearly 20 percent of Ameren Missouri's power generation in 2018, the company says in a fact sheet posted online. The plant has been in operation for about 30 years.

"Ameren Missouri's Callaway Energy Center automatically, and safely, shut down following issues with the feedwater control system on Saturday, April 4," Barry Cox, Ameren's site vice president, said in a prepared statement. "Callaway will be returning to full power operations following testing. All safety systems functioned as expected, and there is no threat to the health and safety of the public or Callaway employees.

"I appreciate my Callaway co-worker's conservative decision making over the past several days as we brought the Energy Center back online, serving customers with carbon-free energy."