"Inaccessible" North Carolina Nuclear Plant Declares "Unusual Event" During Storm-Driven "Hot Shutdown"

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-17/inaccessible-north-carolina-nuclear-plant-declares-unusual-event-during-storm

"Inaccessible" North Carolina Nuclear Plant Declares "Unusual Event" During Storm-Driven "Hot Shutdown"




[size=10]by Tyler Durden
Mon, 09/17/2018 - 12:51[/size]


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Duke Energy’s Brunswick nuclear plant, about 30 miles south of Wilmington, has declared a state of emergency as the 1,200-acre complex remains cut off by flood waters and and is inaccessible to outside personnel.

Just as we warned a week ago, The News & Observer reports, at this time, no one can come in and relieve the Duke Energy workers and NRC “storm riders” who have been on site for days,  NRC spokesman Joey Ledford said. And it would not be possible to evacuate the 10-mile emergency evacuation zone around the site if a higher level of emergency were declared.

Quote :

“None of the roads are passable,” Ledford said.
“The plant is safe. The reactors are in hot stand-by mode 3 shutdown.”

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But as Intellihub reports, The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is being tight-lipped about an “unusual event” which occurred at the Brunswick Nuclear Plant last Saturday which forced a “hot shutdown” of both the plant’s Generation IV-type reactors 1 and 2.
The NRC classified the emergency as an “unusual event” but provided little to no details on the situation.
Additionally, the NRC reports that weather conditions from Tropical Storm Florence are currently preventing workers from accessing the plant.
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“A hazardous event has resulted in on site conditions sufficient to prohibit the plant staff from accessing the site via personal vehicles due to flooding of local roads by Tropical Storm Florence.”

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From the NRC regarding Event 53609:

h/t @tronictime
The current rector mode is showing as “hot shutdown” and more rain is on the way.
River waters in the area are expected to rise as much as 20 feet in the coming days. Not to mention, local dams in the area may be to capacity.
Brunswick is equipped with emergency backup diesel generators to operate essential equipment if the facility lost off-site power from the grid. Ledford said that the reactors never lost power and the generators never had to be activated.[/size]

https://www.intellihub.com/north-carolina-dam-to-burst-in-imminent-danger-evacuations-ordered/



[size=30]UPDATED: North Carolina dam to burst, in “imminent danger,” evacuations ordered

Mandatory evacuations are underway for all people, pets, and businesses that are downstream from Lake Tahoma along Buck Creek and along the Catawea river, as an imminent failure of the dam is expected

By Staff Writer -
 
May 30, 2018
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Update: At this time it is believed by officials that the Tahoma dam is no longer under imminent threat of bursting. However, Intellihub will remain vigilant by providing updates if the situation were to change. So to be clear, the dam has been inspected as of Wednesday morning and appears to be safe. Evacuations were only ordered as precautionary measure, according to a report out of the Daily Mail. (H/T: Steve Quayle)

MCDOWELL COUNTY (INTELLIHUB) The Tahoma Dam located in western North Carolina is ready to burst after intense rainfall hit the area which prompted officials to issue a mandatory evacuation order in an effort to preserve life.
The dam’s structural integrity became compromised on Wednesday after a mudslide brought on by heavy rainfall in the area overloaded the infrastructure.

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“Move to higher ground NOW! This is an extremely dangerous and life threatening situation,” officials warned in an alert issued on Wednesday.

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Quote :

Brad Panovich

✔@wxbrad





[ltr]Dam failure imminent downstream of Lake Tahoma in. McDowell county. Please evacuate now in the areas listed on the statement. #flood #ncwx #wncwx[/ltr]
10:11 PM - May 29, 2018

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The National Weather Service Greenville-Spartainberg tweeted the following: “MCDOWELL COUNTY UPDATE: A landslide has comprised the integrity of Lake Tahoma Dam. MANDATORY EVACUATIONS underway from the Dam at Lake Shore Dr to Lake Tahoma Rd (NC 80) to the confluence of the Catawba River near Resistoflex Rd and Riverside Park. ACT NOW TO PRESERVE YOUR LIFE!”

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Quote :

NWS GSP

✔@NWSGSP





[ltr]MCDOWELL COUNTY UPDATE: A landslide has comprised the integrity of Lake Tahoma Dam. MANDATORY EVACUATIONS underway from the Dam at Lake Shore Dr to Lake Tahoma Rd (NC 80) to the confluence of the Catawba River near Resistoflex Rd and Riverside Park. ACT NOW TO PRESERVE YOUR LIFE![/ltr]
10:13 PM - May 29, 2018

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A flash flood emergency was declared.



Related:

Twenty-foot storm surge expected from Florence: Reports

“McDowell county emergency management reports water is spilling around the sides of Lake Tahoma dam. Evacuations ongoing south of the dam. THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. HEED ALL EVACUATION ORDERS IMMEDIATELY! If you are not threatened by floodwaters, shelter in place.”

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Quote :

NWS GSP

✔@NWSGSP





[ltr]McDowell county emergency management reports water is spilling around the sides of Lake Tahoma dam. Evacuations ongoing south of the dam. THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. HEED ALL EVACUATION ORDERS IMMEDIATELY! If you are not threatened by floodwaters, shelter in place.[/ltr]
9:21 PM - May 29, 2018

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We will provide updates as we get them.[/size][/size]