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| 'Monster' Sandy wrecks havoc on US east coast [Credit: NOAA] |
Washington: Thirty-four nuclear energy facilities in the path of
Hurricane Sandy have responded well and safely to this powerful storm,
demonstrating their resilience against severe natural forces.
Careful planning and comprehensive preparations days in
advance of the storm paid off at all of the facilities, which were prepared to
take the steps necessary to maintain safety against high winds, record flooding
and disturbances on the regional electric grid. Highly trained reactor
operators and emergency response personnel stationed at the plants throughout
the storm were able to take actions beyond their usual duties to protect the
power plants and communities that surround them. As Hurricane Sandy moves
beyond the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states after knocking out electricity
to seven million customers in 13 states, nuclear facility operators are
conducting thorough inspections to ensure that all systems and equipment are
ready to maintain the facilities in a safe condition.
Of the 34 nuclear facilities from South Carolina to Vermont
in Hurricane Sandy's path, 24 continued to operate safely and generate
electricity throughout the event. Seven were already shut down for refueling or
inspection, and three in New Jersey or New York safely shut down, as designed,
because of storm conditions or grid disturbances. Inspectors from the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission have been stationed at each nuclear energy
facility to oversee preparation for and recovery from the storm.
"Hurricane Sandy once again demonstrates the robust
construction of nuclear energy facilities, which are built to withstand extreme
flooding and hurricane-force winds that are beyond that historically reported
for each area," said Marvin S. Fertel, president and chief executive
officer at the Nuclear Energy Institute. "Beyond the physical strength of
these nuclear power plants, the professional crews that operate and maintain
them take exacting precautions as significant storms approach. They also
coordinate with local, state and federal emergency response officials.
"Our facilities' ability to weather the strongest
Atlantic tropical storm on record is due to rigorous precautions taken in
advance of the storm. In the days prior to Sandy storming the Atlantic coast,
nuclear plant operators took a series of actions outlined in their emergency
preparedness plans," Fertel said. "These include securing or moving
any equipment that could possibly become airborne due to high winds and
verifying that weather-tight doors and water intakes are prepared. Each plant
site also has numerous emergency backup diesel generators that are tested and
ready to provide electricity for critical operations if electric power from the
grid is lost."
As a precaution, a reactor will be shut down at least two
hours before the onset of hurricane-force winds at the site, typically between
70 and 75 miles per hour. If there is a loss of off-site power during or
following a hurricane, reactors automatically shut down as a precaution and the
emergency backup diesel generators will begin operating to provide electrical
power to plant safety systems.
"Actions taken by companies operating reactors in the
mid-Atlantic and Northeast once again demonstrate that nuclear energy facilities
are well protected against extreme natural events," Fertel said.
In 2011, 24 reactors at 15 facilities from North Carolina to
New England safely withstood Hurricane Irene, a category 3 hurricane. In 2005,
Entergy safely shut down Waterford 3 in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina, a
category 5 hurricane, knocked out off-site power and damaged the regional
electrical infrastructure. Florida Power & Light in 2004 safely shut down
St. Lucie 1 and 2 in Florida after Hurricane Jeanne caused a loss of off-site
power.
During Hurricane Sandy, Exelon Corp.'s Oyster Creek reactor
in New Jersey, which was shut down before the storm for a refueling outage,
declared an alert on Oct. 29. The alert, the second lowest of four Nuclear
Regulatory Commission action levels, was in response to high water levels at
the facility's cooling water intake structure. Exelon is in the process of
restoring off-site power to the facility. Until then, Oyster Creek is being
safely powered by backup diesel-driven electrical generators that have fuel to
power the reactor's safety systems for more than two weeks. The plant's reactor
and used fuel storage pool have ample water supplies for cooling.