David R. Baker reports that the California last remaining nuclear plant, Diablo Canyon, can withstand a major earthquake striking on multiple nearby faults at once, according to a report Pacific Gas and Electric Co. filed with federal regulators Thursday. The report says Diablo Canyon, near San Luis Obispo and nearly surrounded by faults, could withstand the strongest quake likely to hit in 10,000 years. Perched on an 85-foot seaside cliff, the plant also could survive tsunamis generated by offshore quakes or landslides, according to PG and E. At least one critic called the report self-serving.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission ordered all U.S. nuclear plants to conduct similar studies after a huge 2011 earthquake off the eastern coast of Japan triggered a tsunami that knocked out power at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, causing three of the plant reactors to lose cooling-water cover and exposed the hot fuel - aka to melt down.
Nuclear facilities in the Western U.S. were required to file their reports with the commission by Thursday. The report comes just days after federal seismologists greatly increased the odds that a major earthquake magnitude 8 or higher will strike California in the next 30 years. The U.S. Geological Survey now says the state stands a 7 per cent chance of suffering such a quake in the next three decades, up from the previous estimate of 4.7 percent.
The plant is designed to withstand ground motion of 0.75g. But the Diablo buildings and equipment were built with enough of a safety margin that they can still survive the higher degree of shaking, but what is most important here is that nothing exceeds the margin of the plant, said PG&E spokesman Blair Jones.
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