The U.S. nuclear safety regulator said on Monday that it was monitoring the situation at a Virginian nuclear power plant after a tornado cut its external power over the weekend.
"The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is monitoring the situation at the Surry nuclear power plant after the site lost offsite power early Saturday evening due to a tornado affecting an electrical switchyard next to the plant," the agency said in a statement posted on its website.
The plant is operated by Dominion Virginia Power near Surry, Virginia, about 17 miles northwest of Newport News.
The two units at the Surry plant automatically shut down after losing offsite power, and four of the plant's diesel generators started to power the units' emergency loads, according to the statement.
Plant operators have partially restored offsite power to both plants. Safety systems have operated as needed, the agency said.
Dominion, one of the nation's largest producers of energy, notified the NRC of the incident soon after it happened on Saturday evening, with no injuries reported.
"No release of radioactive material has occurred beyond those minor releases associated with normal station operations. These minor releases are below federally approved operating limits, and pose no threat to station workers or the public," the company said in a statement.