A nuclear power plant in Alabama went without power on Wednesday when massive storms hit the South but officials say that it will be weeks before it goes back online. The plant was able to prevent a partial meltdown due to its backup power systems.
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission held a meeting on Thursday regarding the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant, which by providing power to 2.6 million homes, is one of the largest in the nation.
Of the plant’s backup diesel generators, one went down and is being maintained but seven more are online and supplying power. [Unlike ordianary power plants nuclear power plants need cooling even if they are in shutdown state. Fuel rods and spent fuel will melt or explode if they are not cooled.]
The agency said that it is closely monitoring the situation at the power plant, which went down when power lines were severed during the storm.
The U.S. and other countries have been on alert over the past several weeks as Japanese workers attempt to contain contamination at the compromised Fukushima Daiichi plant that was damaged during the massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake and following tsunami. In recent weeks, officials have questioned the integrity of U.S. power plants during natural disasters.
– from theepochtimes.com