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Former Entergy North Operations Executive John Kelly on the risks to nuclear power plants from the earthquake in Virginia.
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To bring on.
Right now John Kelly he's a former director of licensing for Entergy north operations that is the company.
That owns Indian point the power plant and I wanna bring you -- to this because in your time their did you ever have to.
-- prepare.
That area for an earthquake that like we had today.
Of course -- do well at the plant was designed to meet certain.
Engineering requirement for earthquake potential in the area.
But He did -- offered -- a second I'm so sorry I've just things -- breaking news we're we're just finding out that we're hitting an aftershock.
A two point eight aftershock.
Is just now being reported hitting Virginia that is from the US yes unfortunately I just lost Dave Ross on the phone.
By the two point eight magnitude aftershock has just.
Hit Virginia I wanted to bring that -- John to our viewers thank you for standing -- so and okay again so tell me about the processes that are going along we've had several nuclear plants along the East Coast.
That have been somewhat but Jeffrey they're being monitored some have been shut down John what -- the process Indian one in particular in a situation like that -- All nuclear plant in this country we have a system of notification to local public officials about the any event that we might have occurring at the plant they understand -- seven plant.
And -- southeastern US that and declared an unusual event.
That's simply means that it's an event that indicate the potential for degradation in the level of -- of the plant.
-- in progress -- have occurred and they don't expect that any release of radioactive material requiring more upside response some monitoring is expected.
Unless further degradation occurs so normally when you -- unit at an event like bit.
You -- measure the magnitude of the motion of the earthquake with instruments in your plant.
And it dipped below of the below a certain threshold you do not have to declare an unusual event if it's above that -- threshold you would have to.
So I guess those seven nuclear plants have the clintons have -- emotion and plant that would have been a greater than that threshold.
And therefore and declared the -- neutral event automatically.
But they don't expect any further degradation what you do then when you see something like this if you followed detailed procedures that are approved to walk down the plan.
Go to the plant and see if there's any damage in the plant.
And so that would be done and then they -- -- -- stepped down from the usual unusual event when -- determined that there have been no damage for the plant.
And John I want to let our viewers -- -- see a couple more details on the on the aftershock of two point eight this is coming from the US GS.
That it hit 84 miles southwest to DC 84 miles.
Us at three miles a closer to DC than the 87 miles of the original earthquake cat that hit that magnitude five point 87 I want to let our viewers in other -- the couple -- -- here.
This aftershock -- obviously a much smaller aftershock two point eight in this is to be.
Expected John isn't sure the you know a one of the things went when all of this began happening about an hour and a half ago that I thought as -- The -- as we looked at nuclear power plants along the East Coast to help.
All the procedures began I thought to myself you know this reminds me of of covering the Japanese earthquake obviously a horrific.
Disaster and we are nowhere not even close to that but at the same time I'm wondering if you in your community your your colleagues.
A took what happened in Japan and watch to add.
And it it it cost you concern -- May be had to step back and -- they were gonna reevaluate.
How safe the US nuclear power plant system it is.
And -- exactly being done right now as you with the industry has always done -- an event occurred anywhere in the world.
Maybe you we we view our present situation you know plant it in here in this country.
And the NRC.
Clearly stated that they would do exactly that and they're in the process of evaluating.
That potential for Euro holding -- nuclear plants in the US and they put high priority on Indian point and but that is one of the primary plans look at.
At the request of the governor of New York State so it's in the process of being reviewed now Indian point emergency plan and I'm sorry -- -- -- earthquake potential there.
Was reviewed again in the main leak in the 1970s belong at the bottom of the plants because of an issue raised but in the in the yen in New York State geologist.
And at the plant would there's bound to be designed to meet all potential problems earthquake in the New York area.
At that time as well and it's being re evaluated again as we speak.
As a result of the experience that that -- came.
Any sense in your opinion of how long it's gonna take for all the plans to be fully operational.
Well there are they are -- that and what that the best of my knowledge no other plant shutdown.
And they're all operating Indian point is operating at full power and they would be did not have to be there an unusual event there.
The Euro utility took issue date that He is unnoticed that.
That they plant that that that an Indian point that the two operating units to entry are online and operating at full power.
No damage has -- Spain on site states that there's been conducting walked down to inspect equipment.
No damage has been reported this was issued but that was issued by by Entergy recently concerning Indian point so.
It's not an issue an Indian point but certainly not in this earthquake but -- said.
Because of what occurred if there in Japan all plant but having a picnic reevaluation to be don't know make sure that the vehicle safety requirement -- -- on the nuclear regulatory.
John Kelly former operations executive at Entergy and they -- point here in the New York area John thank you for joining.
