Missouri River Floods US Nuke

Proposed temporary cover for Fukashima #1

Nuclear problems amidst flood waters are not the sole dominion of Japan.  This last weekend rising flood waters of the Missouri River in eastern Nebraska (USA) threatened the Fort Calhoun Nuclear power plant.

The plant inflated a large inner-tube-like berm which kept the flood waters out until it, er, failed, allowing the river water to spill into the plant.  (You can see the berm working in the photos in the link below.)

Unlike Fukashima the plant's cooling systems appeared to work during the flooding (which is going to continue until they recede six or so feet).  However, the water flooded transformers and other important structures in the plant when the inner-tube was breached.

Now what's interesting is how quickly this plant will be able to restart.  Articles, such as this one, say that the plant will restart when the flood waters recede. 

Well, Duh!

That's not the question.  The question is how long after the waters recede.

The generators working to keep this plant running during the flood are fortunately not located in the basement - so perhaps this will work out for the better in the long run.

One imagines that the transforms and other important technologies used in the plant don't like to be sitting in a pool of water - just like Fukashima.

Meanwhile in Fukashima TEPCO, the plant's owner, is busy putting a temporary plastic "lid" over the reactor number one building.  This will be temporary and keep out rain water and keep in radiation.  No doubt.

Eventually, the utility says, the unit or units will need to be covered with a permanent, heavy duty cement sarcophagus like the one in Chernobyl.