The Pilgrim nuclear power plant has been forced to reduce its power output after this week's heat wave made Cape Cod Bay water too warm to use for cooling the reactor.

    A spokeswoman for the Plymouth plant's owner, Entergy, confirmed that the power plant reduced its output by 15 percent Wednesday.

    The plant's federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission license requires that the salt water Pilgrim uses be no warmer than 75 degrees. The temperature briefly topped 75.3 degrees Tuesday.

    The spokeswoman tells The Patriot Ledger that engineers at the plant, which produces 15 percent of the state's electricity, constantly monitor the temperature of the sea water that the plant uses to cool the reactor.  (Associated Press)

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