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Major U.S. power companies shut systems in wake of storm

Storm Helene required major U.S. electric energies to shut or slow power plant operations on Friday, with Southern Co taking among its Georgia nuclear reactors offline and Duke Energy stopping output from two coalfired producing units.

Helene, which left more than 3.5 million homes and businesses without power as it compromised to a hurricane and moved north, downed power lines and battered other parts of the region's electrical grid.

Southern Company likewise minimized output from another nuclear reactor at its Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Power Plant in Georgia after the storm harmed the location's more comprehensive power system, the company informed Reuters on Friday.

The nuclear plant, which is jointly owned by Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power Corporation,. Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia and Dalton Utilities,. was not substantially damaged by the cyclone, the company said.

However, the power grid experienced considerable damage from. the storm and, to maintain grid stability, we changed. operations at Plant Hatch, Georgia Power spokesperson John. Kraft said.

Unit 1 was taken offline and System 2 is performing at reduced. power, Kraft stated, adding that the company's larger generation. fleet would be able to fulfill its customers' power need. The. business did not divulge a timeline for restoring complete. operations.

Duke Energy, on the other hand, took two coal-fired power. systems offline at its Crystal River energy complex in Florida in. preparation for Helene, the company told Reuters on Friday.

This will help avoid equipment damage to ensure the units. are offered to operate for our clients after the storm,. company representative Jennifer Garber stated.

10s of countless utility workers have been activated to. evaluate damage and make repairs to the southeast electrical. system, which was besieged with high winds and flooding.

Duke Energy, which mainly provides power in the. Carolinas, has stated it has actually been strongly moving water. through the Catawba-Wateree River Basin in North and South. Carolina previously this week in anticipation of Helene's arrival.

Even with these preparations, Duke alerted that lake levels. are anticipated to rise dramatically and might not have the ability to save excess. water from the predicted rain and increased inflows from. upstream, perhaps causing historical flooding in numerous. areas.

(source: Reuters)