Other Sources On Nebraska Nuclear Power Plant

[WillyT]

Electrical Fire Knocks Out Spent Fuel Cooling at Nebraska Nuclear Plant
Wednesday 15 June 2011
by: John Sullivan, ProPublica | Report

<snip>

A fire in an electrical switch room on Tuesday briefly knocked out cooling for a pool holding spent nuclear fuel at the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant outside Omaha, Neb., plant officials said.

The safety of deep pools used to store used radioactive fuel at nuclear plants has been an issue since the accident at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant in March. If the cooling water in a pool is lost, the used nuclear fuel could catch fire and release radiation.

As ProPublica reported earlier, fire safety is a continuing concern at the country's 104 commercial reactors, as is the volume of spent fuel piling up at plants.

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Officials at Fort Calhoun said the situation at their plant came nowhere near to Fukushima's. They said it would have taken 88 hours for the heat produced by the fuel to boil away the cooling water.

Workers restored cooling in about 90 minutes, and plant officials said the temperature in the pool only increased by two degrees.

<snip>

Link: http://www.truth-out.org/electrical-fire-knocks-out-spent-fuel-cooling-nebraska-nuke-plant/1308155673

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And...

Airspace Over Flooded Nebraska Nuclear Power Plant Still Closed
Ricky Kreitner - BusinessInsider
Jun. 15, 2011, 4:02 PM

<snip>

A fire in Nebraska's Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant briefly knocked out the cooling process for spent nuclear fuel rods, ProPublica reports. The fire occurred on June 7th, and knocked out cooling for approximately 90 minutes. After 88 hours, the cooling pool would boil dry and highly radioactive materials would be exposed.

On June 6th, the Federal Administration Aviation (FAA) issued a directive banning aircraft from entering the airspace within a two-mile radius of the plant. "No pilots may operate an aircraft in the areas covered by this NOTAM," referring to the "notice to airmen," effective immediately.

Since last week, the plant has been under a "notification of unusual event" classification, becausing of the rising Missouri River. That is the lowest level of emergency alert.

<snip>

Link: http://www.businessinsider.com/faa-closes-airspace-over-flooded-nebraska-nuclear-power-plant-2011-6

:kick:

[progressoid]

1. Video of OPPD presser:

http://www.ketv.com/missouri-river-flooding-extended-coverage/28281114/detail.html

OMAHA, Neb. -- Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman toured the flooded Missouri River this week and saw the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant, seemingly inundated by water. The same image that the governor saw reached the Internet and had led to a wave of rumors. But Omaha Public Power District officials said the images don't tell the whole story.

They said the flood water pumped into a giant donut around the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant was put there to keep flood water out. Officials called it an "aqua berm." The OPPD showed videos taken almost two weeks ago to demonstrate the efforts to keep the facility dry.

...

Officials said on Friday that the plant is on the lowest emergency status, but they are prepared if it rises another 10 feet.

...

Officials said they also want to dispel the rumors going around the Internet about a possible nuclear meltdown.

...

OPPD said they will not restart the reactor until the river stabilizes.

Read more: http://www.ketv.com/missouri-river-flooding-extended-coverage/28281114/detail.html#ixzz1Phigmi8L

[SpiralHawk]

2. "We have like total trustiness in everything the, um, officials say." - CornHeads