WYFF: Duke Says Keowee Oil Spill Poses No Threat

A Duke Energy officials said an oil spill in the Keowee River does not pose a threat to the public.

BJ Gatten, spokeswoman for Duke Energy, said the spill happened at Duke's Keowee hydro plant Sunday evening.  When workers noticed the spill, it was stopped and contained by a yellow boom across the water.

The spill happened in the Tail Race area of the Keowee River and can be seen from the bridge over Highway 183 near the Pickens County line.

Gatten said about five gallons of oil spilled from what she described as an apparent equipment failure.

"Keowee hydro is a separate plant.  It’s located here on the property with Oconee nuclear station, but they are two completely separate plants.  Keowee’s job is to produce electricity from water," Gatten said.  "Today, plant personnel are working to understand what happened and to make sure that it doesn’t happen again."