United States Nuclear Power Plants Threatened By Spillway Flooding

[Generic Other]

"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said on Friday it anticipates opening the Morganza Spillway on the western bank of the swollen Mississippi River to divert floodwaters into theAtchafalaya River basin and protect Baton Rouge, Louisiana, New Orleans and refineries from flooding. It appears that not only are refineries in danger, but three nuclear power plants are also in danger of being flooded:

Entergy's 1,176-megawatt Waterford nuclear plant in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana
978-megawatt River Bend nuclear plant in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, and
1,268-megawatt Grand Gulf nuclear station in Clairborne County, Mississippi

http://lucaswhitefieldhixson.com/united-states-nuclear-power-plants-threatened-spillway-flooding

[sasha031]

1. it just keeps on coming, doesn't it

[SidDithers]

2. Opening the Morganza Spillway lessens the danger of flooding...

the power plants would be threatened if the spillway hadn't been opened.

Sid

[Kolesar]

3. The site could use a headline editor

to say it nicely

[Generic Other]

4. Are the plants then not going to experience flooding?

They look like they are right in the way, diversion or not.

[NYC_SKP]

5. Entergy Plant, for example, will be far worse off if Morganza was kept closed.

The linked article in the OP is really off and misleading, IMO.

There are better stories out there, I found this:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/11/usa-flooding-nuclear-idUSN1111474420110511

May 11 (Reuters) - Entergy Corp (ETR.N) is working to restart the 1,176-megawatt Waterford 3 nuclear unit in Louisiana even as officials monitor rising waters of the nearby Mississippi River which could force the plant to shut, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

The Waterford plant, located in St. Charles Parish, is one of three Entergy nuclear plants in the path of rising Mississippi River floodwaters expected to reach the area in a week.

The Waterford station has been shut since April 6 to refuel and to replace the main generator rotor.

The St. Charles Parish director of emergency preparedness said Wednesday that the Waterford plant, along with two refineries in the parish, would likely be flooded if the Morganza Spillway near Baton Rouge is not opened to allow high water from the Mississippi to flow into the Atchafalaya River basin.

:patriot:

[Generic Other]

6. Thanks for the information!

In spite of assurances that everything is going to be fine, it is certainly cause for alarm. Floods are so unpredictable. Every one of those plants seem to be heaving sighs of relief based on estimates that they are a few feet above where floodwaters are expected to crest.

We can only hope these plants are ready for whatever comes their way!

[drm604]

7. The headline and the article seem to disagree.

The article seems to be saying that the use of the spillway will lessen the danger to the plants. The headline says the opposite.

[Generic Other]

8. Looks like they are going to face highwater no matter what

but you may be right that the diversion may lessen the danger.

[drm604]

9. They do seem to face some danger

just not from the spillway flooding.