Nuke plant safe amid unique peril (Fort Calhoun, Ne.)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110627/NEWS01/706279901/0#nuke-plant-safe-amid-unique-peril

ONLY IN THE WORLD-HERALD
By Nancy Gaarder and Sam Womack
World-Herald Staff Writers

Photo: http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OW&Date=20110627&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=706279901&Ref=AR&maxw=600&maxh=400
The Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station is 19 miles north of Omaha. Water now surrounds the auxiliary and containment buildings, which are designed to handle flooding up to 1,014 feet above sea level. The river is at 1,006.3 feet and isn't forecast to exceed 1,008 feet.
Kent Sievers/The World-Herald

The Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station turned to diesel-powered generators Sunday after disconnecting from the main grid because of rising floodwaters.

That move came after water surrounded several buildings when a temporary levee collapsed.

The plant, about 19 miles north of Omaha, remains safe, Omaha Public Power District officials said Sunday afternoon.

Sunday's development offers even more evidence that the relentlessly rising Missouri River is testing the flood-worthiness of an American nuclear power plant like never before. The now-idle plant has become an island. And unlike other plants affected by high water, Fort Calhoun faces months of flooding.

Floodwater surrounded the nuclear plant's main electrical transformers after the plant's Aqua Dam, a water-filled tubular levee, collapsed, and the plant switched to emergency diesel generators for its power.

OPPD officials said the switch was precautionary because of water leaking around the concrete berm surrounding the main transformers.

FULL story at link.

Diagram of plant layout: http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OW&Date=20110627&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=706279901&Ref=V1&maxw=600&maxh=400

[liberal N proud]

1. And for the second nuclear plant 90 miles south

from your article

Near Brownville, about 90 miles downstream, sandbags and other barriers have been installed to protect Cooper Nuclear Station from the rising waters. Owned by Nebraska Public Power District, the plant is along a stretch of the river that fluctuates often because major tributaries dump into the Missouri immediately upstream. Based on current information from the Corps of Engineers, NPPD thinks Cooper will be able to operate throughout the summer, said spokesman Mark Becker.

Cooper was built higher, off the flood plain, but over the past week the river has come within 6 inches to 18 inches of the level that would require a plant shutdown.

[ensho]

2. kick

nt

[ensho]

3. kick

nt