nuclear-news

Dangerous fire at Fort Calhoun nuclear plant

NRC: Nebraska nuclear plant fire was serious threat, Boston Globe, By Josh Funk |  ASSOCIATED PRESS     MARCH 13, 2012, OMAHA – A fire that briefly knocked out the cooling system for used fuel at an idled Nebraska nuclear plant last June represented a serious safety threat, federal regulators said Monday.

The Fort Calhoun plant north of Omaha was shut down at the time of the
fire, which started in an ill-fitting electrical breaker, and
temperatures never exceeded safe levels, the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission said in a preliminary report.

But the commission said the fire is considered a major concern because
it could have happened any time and because workers did not fully
investigate an unusual smell in the area three days earlier that could
have led them to discover the problem and prevent the fire. A serious
threat finding typically could mean additional oversight for a nuclear
plant, but Fort Calhoun already is under the NRC’s strictest oversight
level because of a prolonged shutdown that began last spring and
several other reported problems – including the failure of a key
electrical part during a test and flood planning deficiencies, both
found in 2010.

Fort Calhoun initially was shut down for refueling maintenance, but
major flooding along the Missouri River forced it to remain closed.
The Omaha Public Power District is working to repair flood damage and
double-check all the plant’s systems before restarting.

Utility spokesman Jeff Hanson said the power district does not plan to
contest the severity of the NRC’s finding on the fire…..
http://bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2012/03/12/nebraska-nuclear-plant-fire-was-serious-threat-nrc-says/jObXeu42Ymblv7gosTy1zL/story.html

March 14, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA