Update: Nuclear Plant OK, Readers Share Quake Stories

Update at 6:30 p.m.

Another official release from Exelon Nuclear concerning the earthquake:

All Four Stations Continue to Operate Safely, Plant Inspections Continue Following Regional Seismic Activity

KENNETT SQUARE – By approximately 5:45 p.m. today, Exelon Nuclear had terminated the “unusual event” declarations at all four of its Mid-Atlantic nuclear stations. The declarations were issued earlier today at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Three Mile Island Unit 1 and Limerick Generating Station in Pennsylvania, and Oyster Creek Generating Station in New Jersey.

The declarations were issued earlier today at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Three Mile Island Unit 1 and Limerick Generating Station in Pennsylvania, and Oyster Creek Generating Station in
New Jersey.

An “Unusual Event” is the lowest level emergency classification as determined by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Operators have performed “walk-downs” to identify any potential effects from the seismic activity and will continue to monitor conditions, but no damage to equipment or impact to plant operations
has been identified. All four plants continued to operate at normal power throughout the event, and no evacuations or additional safety measures were required.

Update at 4:35 p.m.

An official release from Exelon...

All Four Exelon Nuclear Mid-Atlantic Plants Operating Safely Following Regional Seismic Activity

KENNETT SQUARE - None of Exelon Nuclear's four Mid-Atlantic nuclear energy stations was affected by this afternoon’s seismic activity in Virginia, and all continue to operate safely at this time. An “Unusual Event” was declared at each of the stations following the seismic activity, in accordance with plant procedures: Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Three Mile Island Generating Station and Limerick Generating Station in Pennsylvania, and Oyster Creek Generating Station in New Jersey.

Plant equipment continued to function normally at each of the Exelon Nuclear stations. Operators are currently performing "walk-downs" to identify any potential affects from the seismic activity, but no
damage to equipment or plant operations has been identified at this time. Each plant continued to operate at normal power level throughout the event and no evacuations or additional safety measures were required.

Nuclear energy plants are designed specifically to withstand the impact of earthquakes and other severe acts of nature. The earthquake, reported to be at a magnitude of 5.9 on the Richter Scale, did not
challenge the engineered design of the Exelon facilities.

An “Unusual Event” is the lowest level emergency classifications as determined by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Update at 3:32 p.m. FEMA has a great earthquake resource page, featuring tips on what to do after a quake.

Another quick update, the Phillies organization says the game is a go for tonight. Play ball! 

Thanks to everyone who chimed in on the Phoenixville Patch Facebook page. Here are some other stories from our readers: 

Keith Bliss reported that there were tremors at the Phoenixville Fire Department: "Protecting the fine citizens of Phoenixville from Phoenixville Fire Department. The fire trucks were rocking like crazy."

Linda Jowder, along with a few others, noted confusion about the shaking: "I'm on the northside of Phoenixville and my house is 100 years old, so at first I thought the dog running around was causing my mirror to shake, old floor boards, etc. But it lasted long after the dog stood still, weird."

Debbie McGinn quickly called up her husband, who was down in Virginia, closer to the epicenter: "[I] was sitting on the couch folding laundry and thought at first my dog was up against the couch scratching, got up and saw she was sound asleep and then we felt more shaking. My hanging chimes and my light over my table were shaking. Once I heard where the earthquake was, placed a call to my hubby who is on business in VA and my uncle who lives a few miles southeast of Mineral, VA—fortunately, they are okay."

Nicole McClure noted the widespread nature: "I've got friends as far north as Connecticut and out into Jersey that are talking about it. It was quick, but far-reaching! My cats are not pleased."

Update at 2:56 p.m. Limerick Generating Station Site Communications Manager Joe Szafran has reported to Patch that the power plant is safe after the earthquake.

"The units are operating online safely," Szafran said. "Right now, when we experience a seismic event like we did, we have procedures that we follow that include a walk-down of plant equipment. We are in the middle of getting that started and doing that as we speak. 

"The plant is continuing to operate safely throughout the event and are still operating safely at full power and 100-percent. That's where we're at now."

Previous Story:

The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a 5.9 earthquake centered four miles from Louisa, Va. The quake could be felt in the Phoenixville area. 

Facebook lit up with comments as locals chimed in about the tremor, which shook places up and down the east coast. 

Delays on SEPTA lines are being reported as of 2:34 p.m. Many airports are delayed, as well, due to the quake. Cell phone issues were reported, as people called loved ones and friends following the quake.

Phoenixville Patch fans on Facebook reported: 

Phoenixville Patch blogger Lisa Longo wrote that she was in Rittenhouse Square. "People thought bomb/attack, were quickly out of the building," Longo wrote. 

Gil Zimmerman, out in Oaks, felt the quake (it startled his dog) and offered up some advice, "We're lucky, could easily have been much worse. Don't forget the essentials, pack a 'go' bag and leave a wrench by your gas meter so you can turn it off if things go south."

Patch's restaurant reviewer Dorene Pasekoff shared: "Sometimes, the big trucks unloading at Beverage World on Morgan and Main streets vibrate the street—since I could hear one of the trucks, I thought it was that at first—then I realized that everything in the house was vibrating and it was just going on too long—and that maybe it was an earthquake. (I slept through the one in Philly in 1985)."

Others shared reports of shaking in their work places around the area. 

Share your experiences on the Phoenixville Patch Facebook page or in the comments below.

From Other Patches

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake that originated in Virginia was felt in Pottstown early this afternoon, according to AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Mike Pigott.

"It was about 41 miles northwest of Virginia ... 83 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.," he said. 

The quake centered around the towns Mineral and Louisa, Va., he said.

Pigott said Pottstown felt tremors from the quake, but it's difficult to define the degree of the shakes.

"You can't really measure that," he said. 

The quake is likely to deliver more action, he said.

"With an earthquake as large as this one, it's likely there will be ... aftershocks," he said.