Photos: Alabama Tornadoes 2011: Emergency Declared at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant [PHOTOS]
By IBTimes Staff Reporter | Apr 28, 2011 10:47 AM EDT
Alabama officials have declared an emergency at a nuclear power plant in the northern part of the state and have started shutting it down in the aftermath of severe storms and tornadoes that have pounded the state.
UPDATE: Alabama Nuclear Plant Shut Down, Reactors 'Cooled'
Tennessee Valley Authority began the process Wednesday afternoon, declaring an 'unusual event,' the lowest of four emergency levels as the storms damaged electricity transmissions lines powering the plant.
Alabama Storm: Tornados wreak havoc on Tuscaloosa
"This afternoon, the Browns Ferry plant, because of the loss of transmission declared an unusual event, which is the lowest of the four emergency classifications used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and personnel are working to safely shut down the plant," said Tennessee Valley Authority Chief Operating Officer Bill McCollum in a video posted to the Authority's web site.
The Browns Ferry plant contains three nuclear units and "is being shut down this afternoon after the transmission line damage took the plant offline," McCollum said.
Storms in Alabama: At least 128 killed [VIDEOS]
He said all of the systems at the plant functioned as designed and normal procedures were being used to cool down the plant.
The plant's units combine to give it 3,274 megawatts of power.
A spokeswoman said backup diesel generators started and operated as designed, according to Reuters.
The Brownsferry plant has the same design and age as the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, which was damaged when a tsunami in the aftermath of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake knocked out power and water damaged emergency backup units.
Browns Ferry's nuclear reactors are of the Mark 1 type by General Electric, similar to those at Fukushima.
Preston D. Swafford, TVA's chief nuclear officer said on a March 26 tour of that plant that Browns Ferry was ready for "a one-in-a-million-year flood, or however many zeroes you want to go out," according to the New York Times.
The refueling floor at the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in northern Alabama is seen during a media briefing on March 25, 2011.
Source: Pool Photo - The Huntsville Ti / Michael Mercier
The concrete hatch closed on the Unit 1 reactor is seen at the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in northern Alabama is seen during a media briefing on March 25, 2011.
Source: Pool Photo - The Huntsville Ti / Michael Mercier
A portion of a panel of the switch gear that routes power from the diesel generators to the electrically powered safety equipment in case of a power failure is seen at the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in northern Alabama is seen during a media briefing on March 25, 2011.
Source: Pool Photo - The Huntsville Ti / Michael Mercier
The containment door of the Unit 2 reactor, opened for maintenance is 7 feet thick of reinforced concrete is seen at the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in northern Alabama is seen during a media briefing on March 25, 2011.
Source: Pool Photo - The Huntsville Ti / Michael Mercier
The hard vent pipe, a modification after the 3 Mile Island accident safely vents explosive hydrogen gas and disperses it in the atmosphere is seen at the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in northern Alabama is seen during a media briefing on March 25, 2011.
Source: Pool Photo - The Huntsville Ti / Michael Mercier
TVA workers carrying out refueling operations on the Unit 2 reactor are seen at the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in northern Alabama is seen during a media briefing on March 25, 2011.
Source: Pool Photo - The Huntsville Ti / Michael Mercier
Stainless steel racks of spent nuclear fuel at the top of Unit 1 are seen at the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant in northern Alabama is seen during a media briefing on March 25, 2011.
Source: Michael Mercier / Pool Photo - The Huntsville Times
