Entergy's Indian Point Unit 3 nuclear power plant returned to service yesterday generating electricity, after a sixteen-day shutdown to replace a failed main electrical transformer. The unit had safely and automatically shut down when the transformer failed on May 9.
Entergy's Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station has returned to full service, renewed after a $70 million investment to upgrade, replace, overhaul and inspect hundreds of pieces of equipment that make the plant safer today than when it was built.
Most of the heavy rain and thunderstorms have moved through area near the Lewis Creek reservoir. The company has performed an initial inspection of the dam and has confirmed that there is no breach and no visible damage. The protective coverings remain in place.
As a result of the around-the-clock work on the Lewis Creek Reservoir dam, Entergy Texas President and CEO Sallie Rainer reported to Montgomery County officials today that the threat of a dam failure has substantially decreased, but has not been completely eliminated.
Based on revised weather forecasts that lowered rainfall predictions, County Judge Craig Doyal, in concert with Sheriff Tommy Gage, Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador, and emergency officials, has cancelled the mandatory evacuation for neighborhoods near the Lewis Creek Reservoir.
After early rains today, geotechnical engineers and officials with Entergy Texas, Inc. inspected the Lewis Creek levee and found no additional areas of concern.
To reduce the risk of levee failure and help protect the community, Entergy Texas, Inc. officials took Lewis Creek units 1 and 2 offline last night. This will allow the continued reduction of water level in the Lewis Creek Reservoir.
Workers made good progress yesterday and last night to mitigate the soil slides along the Lewis Creek Reservoir levee. Efforts continue in advance of expected heavy rains.
The dam surrounding the reservoir at the Lewis Creek Power Station near Willis continues to hold with no seepage or breaches. Workers are continuing to make repairs to areas where persistent heavy rains have caused the dam's soil to become saturated to the point of sloughing off.
