“BUCHANAN — Indian Point 2 was shut down by the nuclear plant’s owner about 3:30 p.m. today after a worker building a scaffolding inadvertently cut electrical power to the control rods used to brake the reactor.

Indian Point officials said the shutdown went according to procedures and should be back in full use in a few days. There is no threat to public safety, company officials said.

The control rods act as a braking mechanism on the nuclear reaction, which is fueled by about 4,000 surrounding rods that contain uranium. During a shutdown, for instance, the control rods are lowered together to stop the reaction.

The shutdown comes two days after Indian Point and state health officials released information showing that radioactive water was making its way to the Hudson River from a spent-fuel pool leak at the same nuclear reactor.

In early October, Indian Point 3 was shut for about five days after a control rod from the heat-generating fuel assemblies dropped into place on its own and without warning.“

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