Reactors still down after massive Florida power outage: officials

Power officials pressedon with efforts Wednesday to bring two nuclear reactors back on line in southern Florida, one day after a massive blackout shut them off and darkened millions of homes across the state.

"The reactors still are not running," said Karen Visepo, spokeswoman for Florida Power and Light, the company responsible for providing power in southern Florida.

The disabled reactors at the Turkey Point nuclear power plant were unlikely to cause new blackouts, she said, but workers labored feverishly to get them operating again.

"Getting them up and running again is a slow process," Visepo said.

Tuesday's monster power outage left millions of people in southern Florida bereft of electricity for several hours.

The downed nuclear reactors have revived controversy in the state over the safety of radioactive energy sources, especially in view of Florida Power and Light's plans to build two more nuclear reactors at its Turkey Point facility.

(read more)

(Source: AFP)