Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Station -- Is It Worse Than We Think? [8-month-old NRC letter: At 1,010 ft water would enter Ft. Calhoun’s auxiliary building, shorting power and submerging pumps; Could then have a station blackout with core damage within 15-18 hours — water now at 1,007 ft.]

8-month-old NRC letter: at 1,010 ft. water would enter Ft. Calhoun’s auxiliary building, shorting power and submerging pumps; could then have a station blackout with core damage within 15-18 hours — water now at 1,007 ft.

A Nuclear Plant’s Flood Defenses Trigger a Yearlong Regulatory Confrontation, The New York Times, June 24, 2011:

[The water level at Ft. Calhoun nuclear plant] reached a height of nearly 1,007 feet above sea level at the plant yesterday. [...]

The NRC responded in its October 2010 letter that once flooding reached 1,004 feet, water would have entered the plant and the ability of emergency workers to move around the site would “significantly degrade.” [...]

At 1,010 feet, water would begin to enter the auxiliary building, “shorting power and submerging pumps. The plant could then experience a station blackout with core damage estimated within 15 to 18 hours,” under a worst-case scenario, the NRC said. [...]

“They also ordered us to revise our policies and procedures and make whatever changes were necessary to bring the design basis up to 1,014. We did so, and we believe we are now in compliance with the NRC and are awaiting a final inspection.” -Omaha Public Power District spokesman Michael Jones

enenews.com