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Ft. Calhoun nuclear workers carrying in fuel cans by hand in order to keep pumps running

Published: June 28th, 2011 at 7:54 am ET
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Nuclear Plant’s Vital Equipment Dry, Officials Say, New York Times, June 27, 2011:

[...] At Fort Calhoun, where the river has risen gradually, the water seeps in through sandbag walls, electrical conduits and other places that workers had not thought much about before. There are so many small water pumps running to keep up with the leaks that keeping them supplied with gasoline and diesel requires something akin to a bucket brigade.

Orange plastic fuel cans are rolled on a cart over the catwalks and then handed off to employees who are headed deeper into the plant. Climbing over the sandbags at the entrances, they carry them in, and workers on their way out pick up a few empties and carry them out for refilling. [...]

h/t anonymous

Published: June 28th, 2011 at 7:54 am ET
By
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33 comments

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  1. Ft. Calhoun nuke plant now running on emergency generators as workers try to restore electricity — Power supply cut after water surrounded main electrical transformers June 26, 2011
  2. Many containers of fuel to power pumps were washed away after breach at Ft. Calhoun nuke plant June 27, 2011
  3. ‘Event’ reported at Ft. Calhoun nuke plant: “Potential flooding issue in the Intake Structure” — “There is one penetration of concern” that could impact water pumps June 17, 2011
  4. NRC Event at flooded Ft. Calhoun nuke plant: Both Fire Suppression Pumps are inoperable — Water levels too high for surveillance tests July 25, 2011
  5. 8-month-old NRC letter: At 1,010 ft water would enter Ft. Calhoun’s auxiliary building, shorting power and submerging pumps; Could then have a station blackout with core damage within 15-18 hours — Water now at 1,007 ft June 25, 2011
June 28th, 2011 | Tags: , , | Category: Strange, US
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33 comments to Ft. Calhoun nuclear workers carrying in fuel cans by hand in order to keep pumps running

  • milk and cheese milk and cheese
    June 28, 2011 at 8:07 am

    But there is no danger to human health. The plant is completely watertight. We planned for those leaks. Nothing to see here. No cause for concern.

    I think I am going to be sick now.


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  • odylan
    June 28, 2011 at 8:24 am

    Arnie Gundersen said at the outset: The words ‘nuclear’ and ‘sandbags’ should never be heard in the same sentence.

    But this is now a real farce we’ve now got to ‘nuclear plus ‘sandbags plus plastic cans’ Whatever next? I dread to think.


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    • jump-ball
      June 28, 2011 at 8:52 am

      Whatever next?

      Maybe the ‘Oklahoma credit card’: a siphon.


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    • PoorDaddy PoorDaddy
      June 28, 2011 at 12:43 pm

      Umm, speaking of Arnie, has he had an “unfortunate accident”, maybe a stroke where he loses the power of speech kinda like William Casey during the Iran/Contra hearings (Saint Reagan presidency), or have they threatened his family, or did he just get bought.
      Hey Arnie, long time, no hear!


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      • Net
        June 28, 2011 at 3:21 pm

        Here is a email received from Arnie’s wesite:

        Thank you for contacting Fairewinds Associates, visiting Fairewinds’ site and viewing our videos and interviews.

        We are back in the office after a 10-day road trip and are also working on 3 back to back expert witness testimonies.

        Fairewinds is a paralegal services and expert witness firm that I (Maggie) founded in 2003. We analyze complex engineering and environmental issues and publish our findings either on Fairewinds’ website or as expert reports for clients like the State of Vermont, Friends of the Earth, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Riverkeeper, SACE, and many other state and/or environmental organizations who contract for our services.

        We are not attorneys or medical doctors and therefore are simply unable to offer or contract for any personal advice.

        Four days after the Fukushima accident, Arnie announced that the accident was a Level 7 accident and also said that the evacuation zone needed to be expanded. The nuclear industry, TEPCO, NRC, JAIS, IAEA, and the main stream media has tried to label us as fear-mongers, but five weeks later, TEPCO finally admitted the truth that the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident was a Level 7 nuclear accident. During those five weeks, many innocent people, especially those most susceptible to illness, like women, children, infants, and elderly, were subjected to cancer producing doses of radiation. A pro-active stance could have saved thousands of innocent people, who in 5 or 10 years will face cancer.

        We are not paid for any of our Fukushima work. We have asked for donations to our 501c3 non-profit Fairewinds Energy Education Corp that Maggie founded in 2008. FEEC’s mission is education about nuclear power and other energy issues. The donations we have received go to pay for the videos, some of the scientific studies (lab time and costs) and web work.

        Our data and the discussions we have are based upon a very conservative review of the facts. There are 23 Fukushima style Mark 1 BWR’s operating in the US right now. The Fukushima accident has proven that the containment system is prone to failure in the case of an accident. Almost every nuclear engineer in the world believed that these containment systems would securely contain radiation in the case of an accident. Three out of three containments failed completely at Fukushima.

        We don’t have any answers about what you should or should not do. We hope that people will begin working together to find solutions to the worst industrial accident the world has ever seen. Right now people are either ignoring this tragedy or asking what they can do to protect themselves and their children. I hope people will begin trying to help find solutions for all the children in the world.

        Right now the world is a chaotic and challenging place to live. Unfortunately there is no other planet to which to escape.

        I wish I could give you easy answers. We don’t have them. We are receiving 30 or so phone calls each day and 250 emails down from a peak from 500 emails and the 60 to 70 phone calls each day immediately following the accident.

        When possible, I update regularly on twitter under Fairewinds, and will continue to do so, you may sign up to follow on twitter or read the twitter feed on the right side of our website.

        Thank you for visiting our site, supporting our work, and contacting us!

        Kindest regards, Maggie Gundersen


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      • milk and cheese milk and cheese
        June 28, 2011 at 3:23 pm

        It costs him a lot to put up those videos, so his site is not updated. he’s been interviewed most recently with Dr. Helen Caldicott.


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      • samantha
        June 28, 2011 at 4:50 pm

        Today 5PM EST: Arnie Gundersen on WBAI Radio with Robert Knight (per Dr Helen Caldicott’s facebook page)


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  • tomb1
    June 28, 2011 at 8:26 am

    They need a bucket brigade to keep this “high technology” plant safe.

    Desperate is the only word for this.

    STOP NPP everywhere on earth!


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  • radegan
    June 28, 2011 at 8:36 am

    You guys nailed it – sandbags and a bucket brigade. It’s 1870.


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  • Darth
    June 28, 2011 at 9:14 am

    God’s with feet of “sand”…

    “other experts say the plant is safe for up to 1,014 feet above sea level, which is higher than they expect the water to get (currently around 1007 feet). Despite the alarming sight of a plant surrounded by sandbag walls and a dozen pumps sucking in and spitting out water, Mr. Jaczko (Chairman of the NRC) said later at a news conference that the operators had the situation in hand.”

    Yes they do have it “in hand” – a brigade of hands…


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  • Lee Binder
    June 28, 2011 at 9:22 am

    wait, these workers are heroes, remember?

    PS: does Nebraska have seniors? (just thinking ahead here)


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  • flatsville
    June 28, 2011 at 10:42 am

    I suggest we pool our considerable search abilities and locate web sites related to wind speed and direction in the Midwest.

    I’ll start:

    http://www.wunderground.com/US/Region/Midwest/WindSpeed.html


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  • xdrfox
    June 28, 2011 at 11:24 am

    Anything rather to put Homer Simpson back on the forklift so he can do no damage after the hole in the porta berm !

    Many states require § special training and license to operate a forklift, was Homer qualified ?


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  • mikey
    June 28, 2011 at 11:34 am

    One way to top off this lovely evening would be with a fatal dam rupture ERROR number AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 7


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  • alasanon
    June 28, 2011 at 11:38 am

    This situation is very unsettling. I admit I first laugh, then sigh.


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  • norbu norbu
    June 28, 2011 at 12:01 pm

    the zombies are coming. M.L. soon after.Be ready. The guy who hit the burm? part of the plan


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  • xdrfox
    June 28, 2011 at 12:27 pm

    N.J. Nuclear Task Force report recommends additional backup systems at state’s nuclear plants
    Tuesday, June 28, 2011
    TRENTON — An interim report issued Monday by New Jersey’s Nuclear Review Task Force suggests a strengthening of the backup systems of the state’s nuclear power plants, including the three located in Salem County.

    Established in late March by the Christie Administration to assess operations and emergency preparedness for the state’s nuclear power plants following Japan’s nuclear tragedy, the Task Force has issued its interim report based upon early lessons learned from that ongoing nuclear emergency….
    http://www.nj.com/salem/index.ssf/2011/06/nj_nuclear_task_force_report_r.html


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  • Buck-O
    June 28, 2011 at 1:45 pm

    To view the emergency backup diesel generator for Ft. Calhoun power station go to:

    http://www.ketv.com/missouri-river-flooding-extended-coverage/28379356/detail.html

    It is a trailer generator with the rear tandems under water.

    The “Aqua Berm” now is not-essential.

    One half of the 714 employees are now not essential. (normally a site emergency could only do that.)

    And, of course, they are in complete control of the sitution.


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  • bincbom
    June 28, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    We’ll know that the *hit has hit the fan (that cooling has stopped for the reactor core and SFP) when these workers bug out.

    Hopefully they’ll be able to hang in there. I don’t know about you, but I like to eat.


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  • Novamind
    June 28, 2011 at 3:42 pm

    Nothing safer than refueling Hot Running Water Pumps with Gasoline inside a building. Should of filled the Rubber Berm with Sand. Why is the National Guard not replacing the berm or sandbagging another as if Americas Future depended on it? People who are experienced on a Backhoe are masters at the controls, Rookies are not! Where is the Backhoe?


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