USA gets ready for Sandy
US nuclear regulators and power companies are readying themselves for the approach of Hurricane Sandy, expected to make landfall along the central coast of New Jersey.US nuclear regulators and power companies are readying themselves for the approach of Hurricane Sandy, expected to make landfall along the central coast of New Jersey.
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| PSEG's Salem and Hope Creek are among US units getting extra NRC support as Sandy approaches (Image: PSEG) |
The hurricane will produce "historic" surge levels along the coast as well as long periods of sustained tropical storm-force winds, according to the US National Weather Service.
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is monitoring the storm from an incident response centre at its Region I office in Pennsylvania and from its operations centre at its Maryland headquarters. Inspectors at all nuclear plants that could potentially experience impacts from the storm are independently verifying that operators are making the proper preparations, following relevant procedures and taking appropriate actions to ensure plant safety before, during and after the storm.
A number of plants in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut are to receive enhanced NRC oversight during the storm: Calvert Cliffs, Salem, Hope Creek, Oyster Creek, Peach Bottom, Three Mile Island, Susquehanna, Indian Point and Millstone.
Nuclear plants will be shut down prior to any projected hurricane-force winds on site, the NRC notes.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News
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