Tornados trigger shutdown at Fermi nuke plant

The 1,100 megawatt nuclear power plant that supplies power to Southeast Michigan shut down yesterday morning after high winds knocked out electricity to the plant and ripped the siding from a building that houses the plant’s radioactive waste systems, chemical control systems, and emergency cooling water systems.

The Monroe Evening News reports that the emergency diesel backup generators at DTE Energy’s Fermi nuclear complex came on to power essential systems after the storm took out the plant’s electricity and triggered an automatic shutdown at 2:39 am.

[DTE spokesman Guy Cerullo] said crews at the plant this afternoon still were verifying the extent of damage to the building and the plant remained at the alert level.

He said the utility is working with ITC, the regional electric transmission company, to restore power to the site and it’s not know when the plant might be restarted.

“We’ll do a thorough evaluation before making a restart decision,” he said.

In an update to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission this morning Fermi terminated its alert classification and stated:

“There is no release of radiological materials. No further potential exists for uncontrolled release of radioactive materials to the environment. The Reactor is shut down. Reactor pressure and temperature are within normal bands. Offsite electrical feeds to the site have been restored. An overall damage assessment has been prepared and reviewed to ensure no conditions exist that would create an entry condition to the Emergency Plan. Plant repairs will be accomplished through site processes.”

DTE is in the process of applying for a license to build a new nuclear reactor at the Fermi complex.

Environmental and nuclear watchdog groups have a opposed the expansion plan, noting among other things, that DTE does not have an adequate plan for evacuating the five schools located within a five mile radius of the plant.