MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Utility officials say they're investigating an automatic shutdown of Minnesota's nuclear plant at Monticello.

Xcel Energy says the plant shut down a few minutes after 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Xcel says the plant's safety systems worked as designed and there's no safety risk.

Xcel said it expects to quickly learn the reason for the shutdown. Until then, it will buy electricity from another source to replace what the plant produces.

The plant is about 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

More From AM 1240 WJON