METROPOLIS, Ill. (AP) — A Honeywell plant in southern Illinois that helps make nuclear fuel has been shut down because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission found the facility unable to withstand a seismic event.
Structural upgrades will be needed before operations can resume.
The Paducah Sun reports (https://bit.ly/P6R3zZ ) that company officials met with regulators Wednesday to discuss the shutdown agreement. Honeywell will not produce uranium hexafluoride until a plan is in place for the upgrades. No timeline was announced.
The agency described the reasons for the shutdown Friday, saying an extensive inspection had determined some of the plant's equipment would not be able to hold up under a "credible seismic event." The area is at risk for earthquakes and tornadoes.
Honeywell spokesman Peter Dalpe says the plant had already been making some safety upgrades.