200 Gallons of Oil Leak From Equipment at Monticello Nuclear Plant
Published: March 10th, 2026 |
MONTICELLO MN: Xcel Energy says an equipment issue at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant led to an oil leak while workers were testing systems during a maintenance outage.
The plant has been shut down since February 20 for scheduled maintenance. While testing equipment Tuesday morning, operators identified low oil levels in one of the motors that helps circulate water through the plant for cooling.
Xcel Energy said workers investigated and determined that a component designed to keep the motor’s lubricating oil separate from cooling water had failed, allowing the oil and water to mix.
Crews quickly isolated the equipment from the water supply and notified federal, state and local government agencies about the event.
The company estimates about 200 gallons of oil left the cooling equipment before it was shut down. A portion of the oil entered the plant’s discharge canal, which ultimately leads to the Mississippi River.
However, plant personnel confirmed that no oil reached the river.
As a precaution, crews installed oil spill containment and absorbent booms in the discharge canal and near the closest point of the river outside the canal to capture any oil that may be present while evaluation and cleanup activities continue.
Residents may notice increased activity around the discharge canal as cleanup and monitoring efforts move forward.