Xcel investigates cause of nuclear power plant shutdown

Xcel Energy says its nuclear power plant at Monticello shut down late Tuesday morning.

Plant operators are investigating the cause of the automatic shutdown, which is not expected to last very long, a company official said.

All of the plant's safety systems functioned as designed, and the situation posed no danger to the public or plant workers.

The Monticello plant was down for nearly a week in August while workers fixed a leaking pipe within the containment structure.