Fermi 2 nuclear plant restarts at low power Monday

DTE Energy Co. says it has restarted its Fermi 2 nuclear power plant after an eight-week shutdown for repairs to a reactor water pump.

The plant began running at reduced power in July and went off line Nov. 7 when operators saw that water in part of the cooling system for the generator contained higher than normal amounts of hydrogen.

The 1,100 megawatt reactor is next to Lake Erie in Monroe County's Frenchtown Township, near Monroe.

The Monroe Evening News says the plant began operating early Monday and was at very low power, moving toward the 20 percent threshold needed to generate electricity.

At full power, the plant provides about 15 percent of DTE's generating capacity in southeastern Michigan.