Safety Review Ordered for Power Plant Blast
Sunday’s Kleen Energy Systems power plant explosion, killing five and injuring 12, has prompted Connecticut governor M. Jodi Rell to call for a safety code review by creating two panels, reports Forbes.
One will examine the origin and possible cause of the blast such as “construction problems, worker safety issues, and licensing or permitting matters,” said Forbes. The other will involve state agencies, local officials, and other “experts” who will review the first panel’s findings to ascertain if any of the following require change: state or local laws, regulations, building, or fire codes, according to Forbes. Governor Rell said panel reviews need to be “impartial and swift,” quoted Forbes.
Mayor Sebastian Giuliano called the boom, which occurred during natural gas line testing at 11:17 Sunday morning, a gas explosion, stating the cause was not clear but it took place between two generators outside the building, said the AP. Although Deputy Fire Marshal, Al Santostefano, thought about 50-to-60 workers were on-site at the time of the discharge, Mayor Giuliano mentioned that 100 to 200 people could be on location during a normal weekday, reported the AP.
About 45,000 people reside in the town where the blast is considered the worst ever, reports the New York Times. The 620-megawatt plant is being built for energy production, using mostly natural gas, said the AP. Santostefano said Sunday’s workers, employed by O&G Industries, were purging gas lines when the eruption occurred, said the AP. Construction, scheduled for completion mid-year, began in February 2008 when Kleen Energy Systems signed a “capacity deal” with Connecticut Light and Power for the electricity it produced, explained the AP.
Middlesex Hospital spokeswoman, Melissa Brady, said of the 26 people treated at the facility, twenty-one were released the same day, three were admitted and two required transfer to other hospitals because of the severe injuries.
Posted on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 6:43 pm under 