(10/P24) TRENTON -The Department of Environmental Protection was notified by Exelon, owner of Oyster Creek nuclear generating station, that a monitor that measures radiation emissions from the facility had been discovered to be inoperable. It is unknown at this time how long the monitor has been out of service.

While it is a critical monitor for evaluation of off-site consequences in an emergency, the stack monitor is not the only means of identifying elevated radiation. There are monitors throughout the plant which can be used to provide data about radiation levels.

Additionally, the DEP maintains a network of radiation monitors in the environment around the nuclear power plant. This system, called the Continuous Radiation Environmental Surveillance Telemetry system provides minute by minute data to the DEP in Trenton.

“The department is confident that there have been no releases from the stack,” Commissioner Bob Martin said. “Our independent monitoring system has not shown any elevated levels in the environment.”

The DEP’s Bureau of Nuclear Engineering is participating in this investigation.

Exelon and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission have been cooperative.

There has been no threat to public health.