We have learned that the NRC sighted the Fort Calhoun Nuclear plant in 2010 for inadequacy in meeting required flood guidelines. Fort Calhoun was required to meet guidelines ensuring the plant could withstand floodwaters up to 1014 ft.
During routine inspections in 2010, the NRC found that there was a 100% chance of nuclear core meltdown with floodwaters at a mere 1010 ft.
Ft Calhoun owners contested this, stating that by their calculations there was only a 19% chance of core melt-down at 1010 ft floodwaters, and a 23.5% chance with waters above 1010.8 ft. (a mere 19% and 23.5%, move along!)
The NRC issued a Yellow finding (2nd to most severe warning), one of only 2 handed out by the NRC in 2010, and forced Ft. Calhoun to take measures to ensure plant safety up to 1014 ft. Ft. Calhoun installed new pumps, and new flood plates to ensure the plant could withstand floodwaters up to 1014 ft. as required.
Had the NRC not forced Fort Calhoun to improve its weather preparedness, could the US already have its own Fukushima? We may never know.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Activates Incident Response Center for Tracking Events at Nebraska's Fort Cal...
Timeline of Flood-protection Activities at Fort Calhoun Station
