PP&L, Inc.'s Unit 2 reactor at the Susquehanna nuclear power plant near Berwick, Pa., returned to service today (4/28) following a planned refueling and maintenance outage that began on March 13.

During the outage, about 35 percent of the unit's uranium fuel was replaced, according to Herbert D. Woodeshick, special assistant to the president for Susquehanna. This partial replacement, involving 280 fuel bundles, will enable Unit 2 to operate for 24 months before another refueling.

Some 2,300 separate work items were completed while Unit 2 was shut down, according to Woodeshick. In addition to the refueling, major projects completed were inspection of the main generator; inspection and maintenance of control rod drive mechanisms; and equipment modifications. All plant systems are given an operational test before the unit is brought back into service.

Woodeshick praised the 1,600 employees and contractors who participated in the Unit 2 planned outage. "The outage is a controlled and well-planned series of activities," he said. "The four key ingredients of safety, communication, quality and productivity were evident throughout the outage; and Unit 2 is in excellent material condition for producing the maximum amount of electricity over the next 24 months."

The Susquehanna plant, jointly owned by PP&L, Inc. and Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc., is located about five miles northeast of Berwick along Route 11.