Fort Calhoun Nuclear Generating Station is the nuclear power plant run by the OPPD (Omaha Public Power District) which was very close to being overwhelmed by a flooding Missouri river. Water levels have since subsided but the nuclear power plant has been downgraded by the NRC (Nuclear Regular Commission) and inspectors are investigating the fire which occurred at the facility back in in June, 2011. According to the Omaha World Herald article "June fire at nuke plant probed":
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has sent a special team of inspectors to Nebraska to learn more about a fire that disrupted power to the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station's spent fuel pool in June.
The pool was without electricity for about 90 minutes, which halted active cooling of the pool. According to federal regulators and the Omaha Public Power District, the fuel wasn't in danger of overheating, because the pool retained more than 80 hours of residual cooling ability.
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The NRC has said the plant will not be allowed to resume operations until it's known what caused the fire.
OPPD has estimated that equipment replacement related to the fire could cost $1 million.The plant has been downgraded and is under intense review by regulators for two other problems, one having to do with flood preparations and the other having to do with a bad electrical connector. Dricks said this special team is unrelated to those problems.
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