The nuclear plant at North Anna, near Washington, DC.
America has the world's largest number of operating nuclear reactors and they are some of the most guarded industrial facilities in USA. In a first of its kind access, NDTV was permitted to visit the twin reactors at North Anna, some 140 kilometres south of Washington, DC. This plant was hit by a massive earthquake six months after the Fukushima accident, but it survived and is today once again powering homes in USA.
The twin atomic domes here belie what really happened inside on August 23, 2011. The twin 1000 MW Westinghouse made nuclear reactors here are running normally today, like on that fateful day when they were working at full throttle.
Two years ago, at about 1 pm, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the plant. Though the plant shut down instantly and automatically, what was scary was the fact that these reactors were designed three decades ago to withstand earthquakes only half this magnitude.
"The epicentre of the earthquake was about 11 miles from the plant and the magnitude of acceleration of the earthquake was twice of about what the plant had been licenced for, but it survived without any safety related component getting damaged," said Eugene S Grecheck, nuclear engineer at the plant.
Fortunately, the plants survived and a disaster was averted, but the authorities learnt some lessons from that earthquake that struck within six months of the Fukushima disaster. New reactors are now being built here with more robust buildings.
Today, when you walk around the plant, it is business as usual. After a three-month halt in operation and $20 million upgrade, the two reactors are once again part of the massive fleet of American reactors producing 20 per cent of all American electricity.
The United States of America has over a 100 operating nuclear reactors and a good safety record, the only blemish is the 1979 accident at the Three Miles Island plant. India now wants to buy the Westinghouse made 1000 MW reactors to be installed in Gujarat.