Flooded nuclear power plant cited for yet another safety violation

The Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant, most of which is inundated under a couple feet of water due to historic flooding on the Missouri River, has been cited by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for yet another safety violation, reports Omaha's ABC t.v. affiliate. This latest decrease in safety margin is all the more alarming given that just six feet of flood margin or so remains before "all bets are off" on the nuclear utility's ability to maintain essential cooling to the reactor core, as well as the high-level radioactive waste storage indoor pool and outdoor dry casks. Adding to the risk, Nebraska is suffering an alarming heat wave, which has contributed to electrical outages elsewhere in the Omaha Public Power District's service area, reports the Omaha World-Herald. The loss of the primary electric grid at Ft. Calhoun, as by extreme weather, could be the first domino leading to a catastrophic radiation release, as seen at Fukushima Daiichi.