The reactors at the North Anna nuclear plant in Virginia
“We have dispatched additional personnel to Brunswick as a precautionary measure”, said Joey Ledford, a spokesman for the NRC. More than half a dozen nuclear plants are in Irene’s path and might experience operating problems due to emergencies caused by high ocean swells or debris. NRC regulations generally call for nuclear reactors to be completely shut down several hours ahead of the arrival of hurricane-force winds of 75 mph or greater. Even when shut, the loss of off-site power is a concern since a nuclear plant needs outside power to run safety systems to keep the reactor core and used fuel cool. The National Hurricane Center is concerned about storm surge of up to 11 feet (3.35 meters) along the coast of North Carolina.
Two million people have been ordered to leave as Irene takes aim at the USZ east coast and might hit parts of New York City, reports indicate. Meanwhile, the Virginia-based North Anna nuclear plant that shut down on Tuesday following an earthquake would remain closed through the storm.
