Petition Filed to Shut Down Cooper Nuclear Power Plant

July 4, 201110/11 News – An Enforcement Petition has been filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requesting that the agency issue a Confirmatory Order requiring the shut-down of the Cooper Nuclear Station operated by Nebraska Public District.

The petition says that the Cooper Nuclear Plant’s installed flood-protection measures, systems and barriers at the Cooper Nuclear Station are not sufficient to adequately protect the nuclear reactor from a full-meltdown scenario like that currently unfolding in Japan.

The petition also asserts that the plant’s station blackout procedures are not sufficient to meet a challenging extended loss of off-site power due to flood-waters and other natural disasters or terrorist attacks.

The Enforcement Petition also requests that the NRC issue a $1,000,000 dollar fine against the nuclear plant operator.

According to Senior Consulting Associate Thomas Saporito,

“Operation of the Cooper Nuclear Station at 100% power is a reckless disregard for public health and safety where flood waters could disrupt safety-related protection systems at the nuclear plant and cause a full melt-down of the nuclear reactor within hours.”

Saporito says,

“The NRC continues to be complacent in the agency’s oversight and regulation of U.S. nuclear reactors — favoring the economics of continued operations — at the risk of public health and safety”.