The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is putting out word that 17 nuclear power stations, with a total of 26 reactor units, could shut down if the historic blizzard smashing into the East Coast carries high winds, as expected.
“If wind speeds are in excess of specified limits, a plant would have to shut down,” said the NRC, without specifying those limits for the 17 plants.
The agency called the storm “the most potent” of the year that “could produce prodigious amounts of snow, hurricane-force winds and dangerous travel conditions.”
Many are in the direct path of the storm. In New York, for example, the two Indian Point units are just 24 miles north of New York City. In Massachusetts, Pilgrim 1 is in Plymouth, 38 miles southeast of Boston.
Both cities are expected to get covered with up to two feet of snow. Winds are expected to reach 65 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
The New England plants make up most of the NRC’s Region One. There is one station in Maryland, one in Connecticut, one in Massachusetts, one in New Hampshire, three in New Jersey, four in New York, one in Vermont and five in Pennsylvania.
For nuclear power plants, bad weather conditions require special attention. It is unclear what would happen to power if the plants were shut down in the middle of the storm.
In a release, the NRC said it was bracing for the storm. “Among other things, plant personnel will ensure that doors designed to prevent flooding are ready to perform their task; fuel oil tanks for emergency generators are appropriately filled; and the site grounds do not have loose objects which could become airborne amid strong winds and cause damage,” said the release.
“On a related note, the NRC will be monitoring those preparations and stationing inspectors to keep watch on the plants as they weather the storm. An inspection procedure and checklist dealing with adverse weather protections will guide the inspectors as they conduct those assessments,” the agency added.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
