Irene winds force Maryland nuclear reactor off-line

Constellation Energy Nuclear Group says one of two nuclear reactors at Calvert Cliffs in Maryland went off-line automatically because of winds from Hurricane Irene, and the facility is safe and stable.

Mark Sullivan, a spokesman for Constellation, issued a statement early Sunday morning that said it appears the Unit 1 reactor went off-line automatically when a large piece of aluminum siding dislodged from a building and came into contact with the facility's main transformer late Saturday night.

Sullivan says all employees are safe, and the Calvert Cliffs facility is safe and stable.

Sullivan says an unusual event has been declared. That's the lowest of four emergency classifications by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Sullivan says the Unit 2 reactor is safe and operating at 100 percent power.