'Unusual event' declared at nuclear power plant in Matagorda County

MATAGORDA COUNTY, Texas - South Texas Project Electric Generating Station officials declared an ‘Unusual Event’ around 7:20 a.m. after losing offsite power led to Unit 1 reactor tripping offline.

The incident was followed by a fire in the switchyard, which prompted immediate action from on-site crews. Local county emergency response teams and nearby industry partners were called in to assist with firefighting efforts.

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Officials with the nuclear charging station say the fire has been extinguished, and no injuries have been reported. Unit 1 remains offline and is under close monitoring by licensed plant operators. As a precaution, power output from Unit 2 was reduced to approximately 90 percent due to the conditions in the switchyard.

Despite the incident, both units are in a safe condition, and there is no danger to the public.

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The Unusual Event classification is the lowest of four nuclear emergency levels and indicates an occurrence that deviates from normal plant operations without threatening public safety.

South Texas Project officials are working with federal, state, and local authorities to investigate the cause of the fire and ensure all safety protocols are upheld.