Flood berm collapses at Neb. nuclear plant

OMAHA, Neb. — A berm holding the flooded Missouri River back from a Nebraska nuclear power station collapsed early Sunday, but federal regulators said they were monitoring the situation and there was no danger.

The Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station shut down in early April for refueling, and there is no water inside the plant, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said. Also, the river is not expected to rise higher than the level the plant was designed to handle. NRC spokesman Victor Dricks said the plant remains safe.

The federal commission had inspectors at the plant 20 miles north of Omaha when the 2,000-foot berm collapsed about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Water surrounded the auxiliary and containment buildings at the plant, it said in a statement.

The Omaha Public Power District has said the complex will not be reactivated until the flooding subsides. Its spokesman, Jeff Hanson, said the berm wasn't critical to protecting the plant but a crew will look at whether it can be patched.

"That was an additional layer of protection we put in," Hanson said.

In fight against floodwater, sand running out
Nuke plant averts shutdown from swelled Missouri

The berm's collapse didn't affect the reactor shutdown cooling or the spent fuel pool cooling, but the power supply was cut after water surrounded the main electrical transformers, the NRC said. Emergency generators powered the plant Sunday while workers tried to restore power.

NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko will tour the plant Monday. His visit was scheduled last week. On Sunday, he was touring Nebraska's other nuclear power plant, which sits along the Missouri River near Brownville.

Both nuclear plants issued flooding alerts earlier this month, although they were routine as the river's rise has been expected. The Brownville plant has been operating at full capacity.

Flooding remains a concern all along the Missouri because of massive amounts of water the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released from upstream reservoirs. The river is expected to rise as much as 5 to 7 feet above flood stage in much of Nebraska and Iowa and as much as 10 feet over flood stage in parts of Missouri.

The corps expects the river to remain high at least into August because of heavy spring rains in the upper Plains and substantial Rocky Mountain snowpack melting into the river basin.

[aaronsworld5]

lol,they all leak all the time................

[dixon8811]

Brain; Let me guess, you're a nuclear engineer for Westinghouse defending your livelihood.

[ALBrainTrust13]

No, I'm a conservative environmentalist who wants to see both a reduction in carbon dioxide emmissions AND FREEDOM from OPEC.

Just because I point out that this plant is working per plan and Fukishima FAILED, does not make me a nuclear industry shill.

If the Left got real about alternative power sources and realized we have to have a 24/7/365 power source and that it's dark 12 hours of each day and there are weeks without a breeze, then maybe we ALL CAN GET TOGETHER AND SOLVE OUR DOMESTIC AND WORLD ENERGY PROBLEMS.

[doogie1970]

I don't beleive ANYTHING a gov't agency says! Dictator Obama has ALL agencies lying to us in an out of control move of deception! Even news blackouts by the media!

[TurnAmericaAround]

OMG....enough with the moronic "dictator" comments. That is the STUPIDEST thing I've ever heard. Move to North Korea and then you can experience what a dictatorship is all about. IDIOT.

[ALBrainTrust13]

Don't offend the dictators of the world, Obama can't get anything done. No comparison.

[noloyalisti]

You mean, we still have nuclear plants operating? What the hell is wrong with us and why are we using our taxpayer money to subsidize this junk? If we did not provide this taxpayer welfare, nuclear energy could not exist at all.

[ALBrainTrust13]

And when the sky is dark and the wind calm, how are you going to power your quiche oven?

[straightmate]

'Federal regulators were monitoring the situation and there was no danger'? No danger, everything is hunky-dory. Don't worry, they have the Fukoshima,, I mean situation under control. I always appriciate the lie being printed up in the first paragraph it saves me the time wondering, thank you all.

[ALBrainTrust13]

I guess you can't tell the difference between the Fukishima plant which had backup generators subject to flooding VS THIS PLANT which apparently had thought out the flooding what ifs!

[dixon8811]

Brain; Let me guess, you're a nuclear engineer for Westinghouse defending your livelihood.

[dennisall77]

Not news? I guess all that nuclear material there does not count if it is not operating?

[ALBrainTrust13]

It does not count since it is contained and the cooling system is operating, unlike the Fukishima situation.

[dennisall77]

Can u spell Climate Change? Get used to it.... but at least our energy CEO's can relax, their billions are safe...

[helmyelsaid]

Nuclear risks,fears.

[ALBrainTrust13]

I don't read anything about this plants situation that should cause any concerns.....it seems they thought all this out when they built it.

[jsf14]

So what was the berm's purpose I wonder.

[ALBrainTrust13]

Obiously it's easier to oversee the plant if it is not flooded. While there is no leaking of water in, it makes getting around the plant tougher. You did read the part about the normal power supply being flooded?

[gadfly65]

"The Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station shut down in early April for refueling, and there is no water inside the plant, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said. Also, the river is not expected to rise higher than the level the plant was designed to handle."

...so this isn't news, but it's about nuclear power so CBS can use scary headlines generate interest.

[dennisall77]

uuuhhh... written by Associated Press, not CBS. And exactly what is scary about it? Sounds matter of fact to me... Maybe "World Imperiled by Near Diaster at Nuclear Power Plant" would be a little over the top...

[ALBrainTrust13]

The news is that the plant is flooded on the exterior and is operating normally.....good news, but news none the less.