The Fort Calhoun nuclear plant could reopen in September, but only if it’s safe to do so.
OPPD and NRC updated the status of Fort Calhoun Station at a public meeting Tuesday night. The nuclear plant closed last April for refueling, and remained shut down during the Missouri River flooding.
Since then, problems discovered at Fort Calhoun Station have kept it closed. OPPD spokesman Jeff Hanson says they’re working according to a schedule that would reopen the plant in September. “But we are also still discovering things that are putting a challenge to that. So we’re taking a look at that, it’s not off the table, but it’s something that has been challenged by some of the new issues that are coming up.”
Hanson says the plant won’t reopen until all items on the NRC’s restart checklist are complete and officials are confident Fort Calhoun Station is safe. OPPD purchased power from other companies to make up for the loss of service usually provided by the nuclear plant.
The Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club has petitioned the NRC to revoke the operating license for the plant.