(April 13, 2020 – LOWER ALLOWAYS CREEK, N.J.) – PSEG Nuclear’s Salem Unit 2 entered its planned refueling and maintenance outage on April 11, 2020, when operators safely removed the unit from the regional power grid. Salem 2 is one of three nuclear units operated by PSEG in Salem County, New Jersey. Collectively, the three nuclear units produce roughly 40% of the state’s electricity and more than 90% of its carbon-free energy. A refueling and maintenance outage is a multi-week, comprehensive procedure during which thousands of inspections, surveillances and maintenance activities are performed.

At PSEG, the health and safety of our employees, contractors and communities are paramount. Accordingly, PSEG has implemented a number of new protocols and precautions and is adjusting its operations in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. These changes and new initiatives include:

• Training and directing all employees to practice social distancing 
• Reducing the frequency and greatly limiting the size of essential face-to-face meetings to small groups where social distancing can be exercised
• Directing many technical and support personnel to work remotely, minimizing the number of personnel on-site
• Using personal protective equipment (PPE) as appropriate 
• Increasing cleaning and sanitization protocol, including disinfecting surfaces more often, increasing the number of handwashing facilities, and placing hand sanitizers and germicidal wipes at strategic locations
• Screening workers at the plant gate prior to entry, both with questionnaire and temperature scan, directing employees who don’t feel well to stay home and seek medical attention
• Making face coverings available for all employees and requiring their use
• Closing or limiting access to cafeterias and other places employees congregate

In addition, in an effort to minimize the length and number of on-site staff required for this outage, PSEG has evaluated the outage schedule and is focused on work necessary to ensure safe, reliable operations for the next operating cycle. Certain types of discretionary work that is normally spread over years and is not critical to ensuring safe, reliable operations is being postponed during this outage. In making these decisions, PSEG has thoroughly reviewed industry guidance and is confident the changes will not impact plant reliability.


“Refueling and planned maintenance are an important part of the ongoing efficient operation of nuclear plants, including ours that supply the reliable, clean energy that New Jersey relies on,” said PSEG Nuclear President and Chief Nuclear Officer Eric Carr. “In these challenging times, the dependability of nuclear’s carbon-free electricity – to power our homes, hospitals and our lives – is critical.”

In order to meet the refueling and maintenance deliverables and execute the sophisticated tasks pertaining to the outage, PSEG continues to rely on trade workers from close to a dozen unions to join the PSEG employees on day-to-day operations. The enhanced protocols, from training to screenings, also apply to our outstanding union and contractor support. 

The refueling and maintenance outages of PSEG’s three nuclear units in New Jersey – Salem 1, Salem 2 and Hope Creek – bring added skilled trade work to Salem County approximately every six months. 


PSEG Power

PSEG Power LLC is a multi-regional energy supply company that integrates the operations of its merchant nuclear and fossil generating assets with its power marketing businesses and fuel supply functions, primarily in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States. PSEG Power is a nationally recognized industry leader on environmental issues. PSEG Nuclear LLC is one of four main subsidiaries of PSEG Power; it operates the Salem and Hope Creek nuclear generating stations in southern New Jersey and is a part-owner of the Peach Bottom nuclear generating station in Pennsylvania. PSEG Fossil operates the company’s portfolio of natural gas- and oil-fired electric generating units. PSEG Energy Resources & Trade LLC is the trading arm of PSEG Power. PSEG Power Ventures LLC develops utility-scale solar facilities outside PSE&G’s service territory through its subsidiary, PSEG Solar Source, and operates the Kalaeloa Cogeneration Plant in Hawaii.

PSEG Power is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a diversified energy company (https://corporate.pseg.com/). PSEG has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for North America for 12 consecutive years. 

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