Taipower shuts down reactor in Taiwan's third nuclear plant

Lubricant oil levels for the cooling pump motor were too low.

Taiwan Power shut down the first reactor in Taiwan’s third nuclear plant as the lubricant oil levels for the reactor's cooling pump motor were too low, Focus Taiwan reports.

The reactor was turned off for maintenance as a safety precaution even though the temperature of the reactor's cooling pump motor was within an acceptable range for safe operation. The oil lubricated and cooled down motor bearings, the company added.

There were no radioactive-related abnormalities, Taipower spokesman Hsu Tsao-hua said, and the shutdown will not have any impact on power availability because power usage is relatively low during cooler winter months.