No. IV-10-034 

Contact: Victor Dricks: (817) 860-8128 

 Lara Uselding: (817) 276-6519 

 

 October 7, 2010

 E-Mail: OPA4.Resource@nrc.gov

NRC FINDS PROBLEMS OF SUBSTANTIAL SAFETY SIGNIFICANCE 

 WITH FORT CALHOUN NUCLEAR PLANT’S FLOOD PROTECTION 

 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a violation of substantial safety 

significance because of inadequacies in the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant’s flood protection 

strategy. The plant is located near Omaha, Neb. 

 NRC officials identified a violation of regulatory requirements during an inspection 

conducted at the plant earlier this year. Inspectors reported that the licensee’s flood protection 

strategy may not have been fully effective during worst-case Missouri River flooding scenarios. 

The strategy called for workers to install floodgates in front of doors of the plant’s auxiliary 

building and intake structure and pile sandbags on them. 

 The licensee had a stockpile of empty sandbags, but did not have all the sand on site 

necessary to fill them. In addition, their strategy for buttressing floodgates may not have been 

effective. 

 As a result of the inspection, Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) officials made 

changes to their strategy to protect the plant from severe flooding. The licensee has established a 

stockpile of thousands of filled sandbags ready for immediate use and made other changes to 

their flood plan to make it more effective. 

 “This violation is of substantial safety significance because their strategy for protecting 

the plant against severe flooding was inadequate,” said Region IV Administrator Elmo E. 

Collins. “It’s very unlikely the site would ever face the kind of flood this plan was designed for, 

but they are required to be prepared for the absolute worst, just in case.” 

The NRC uses color-coded inspection findings and performance indicators to assess 

nuclear plant performance. The colors start with “green” and then increase to “white,” “yellow” 

or “red,” as the safety significance of the issue increases. The NRC’s preliminary evaluation 

determined that the violation was “yellow,” meaning it had substantial safety significance. 

NRC NEWS

U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

Office of Public Affairs Region IV 

 612 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 400 

 Arlington, TX 76011-4125 

Telephone: (817) 860-8128 
A regulatory conference was held with OPPD officials on Aug. 18, during which they 

described their assessment of the significance of the inspection finding, presented additional 

information and described corrective actions taken. 

After additional consideration, the NRC has determined that the violation was 

appropriately assessed as “yellow.” Yellow findings normally result in additional NRC 

inspections and meetings with the licensee. 

OPPD has 30 days to accept the Notice of Violation or contest it. 

The NRC’s letter, its enclosures and the licensee’s response will be made available to the 

public through the agency’s electronic reading room at: http://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/adams/html. Help in assessing these documents is available from the NRC Public Document 

Room by calling 1-800-397-4209. 

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