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East Coast Earthquake Leaves Nuclear Plants Unharmed

The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission says no major damage has been found at the 12 nuclear power plant sites that got inspections but were not shut down following an earthquake that rattled the East Coast.

The North Anna Nuclear Power Station in Louisa County Va. is shown Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011. The reactors at the plant were automatically shut down after the most powerful earthquake on the east coast iKING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (AP) — The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission says no major damage has been found at the 12 nuclear power plant sites that got inspections but were not shut down following an earthquake that rattled the East Coast.

NRC Northeast region spokeswoman Diane Screnci says the "unusual event" status has been canceled at the sites in an area that spans from North Carolina to Michigan.

She says their operators and NRC inspectors did not find problems during walk-downs of the plants and it appears there was no threat to public safety.

The sites that shook on Tuesday include New Jersey's Oyster Creek plant, the nation's oldest operating nuclear power plant.

The twin reactors at the North Anna facility near the Virginia epicenter were shut down and remained so Wednesday morning.