<!DOCTYPE html><html lang="en"><head><base href="/"><title>Hurricane Harvey Makes The Case For Nuclear Power</title><meta charset="UTF-8"><meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width,initial-scale=1,maximum-scale=1,user-scalable=no"><link rel="canonical" itemprop="url" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2017/09/01/hurricane-harvey-makes-the-case-for-nuclear-power/"><script>!function(e){function n(r){if(t[r])return t[r].exports;var o=t[r]={i:r,l:!1,exports:{}};return e[r].call(o.exports,o,o.exports,n),o.l=!0,o.exports}var r=window.webpackJsonp;window.webpackJsonp=function(t,c,a){for(var i,u,f,s=0,l=[];s<t.length;s++)u=t[s],o[u]&&l.push(o[u][0]),o[u]=0;for(i in c)Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(c,i)&&(e[i]=c[i]);for(r&&r(t,c,a);l.length;)l.shift()();if(a)for(s=0;s<a.length;s++)f=n(n.s=a[s]);return f};var t={},o={6:0};n.e=function(e){function r(){i.onerror=i.onload=null,clearTimeout(u);var 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<div _ngcontent-c20="" innerhtml="<div id=&quot;attachment_6937&quot; class=&quot;wp-caption alignnone&quot;> 
 <div class=&quot;article-body-image&quot;> 
  <a href=&quot;https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/HarveyNASA.jpg&quot;><progressive-image class=&quot;progressive-placeholder&quot; src=&quot;https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fjamesconca%2Ffiles%2F2017%2F08%2FHarveyNASA.jpg%3Fwidth%3D960&quot; low-res-src=&quot;https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/100x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fjamesconca%2Ffiles%2F2017%2F08%2FHarveyNASA.jpg%3Fwidth%3D960&quot;></progressive-image></a> 
  <small class=&quot;article-photo-credit&quot;>NOAA/NASA</small> 
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  <div class=&quot;caption-container&quot; ng-class=&quot;caption_state&quot;> 
   <fbs-accordion current=&quot;0&quot;> 
    <p class=&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;>NASA satellite images show NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite image of Tropical Storm Harvey sitting over Texas and the two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company near Houston.</p> 
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  </div> 
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</div> 
<p>Hurricane Harvey made land fall in Texas this week and the flooding was historic. What is shaping up to be the <a href=&quot;http://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-harvey-economic-impact-2017-8/#the-cost-of-harvey-1&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>most costly natural disaster in American history</a>, the storm has <a href=&quot;https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2017/08/30/hurricane-harvey-forces-even-more-texas-oil-refineries-to-close/#241ceafe7c80&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;>left refineries shut down</a>, interrupted <a href=&quot;https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/08/26/hurricane-harvey-threatens-wind-farm-output/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>wind and solar generation</a>, caused a constant worry about gas explosions, and caused a chain of events that led to <a href=&quot;http://abcnews.go.com/US/risk-chemical-plant-explosion-houston-prompts-evacuation-harvey/story?id=49521170&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>explosions and fires</a> <a href=&quot;https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/08/30/texas-town-under-emergency-evacuation-as-flooded-chemical-plant-nears-explosion/?utm_term=.7da296ed9ddd&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>at the Arkema chemical plant</a> that is only the beginning.</p> 
<p>Over a fifth of the country’s oil production has been shuttered. Natural gas futures hit a 2-year high as did <a href=&quot;http://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/gas-prices-take-drastic-hike-from-hurricane-harvey-destruction/600804430&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>gasoline prices at the pump</a>.</p> 
<p>But the Texas nuclear power plants <a href=&quot;https://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-harvey-nuclearpower-idUSKCN1B92KG&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>have been running smoothly</a>.</p> 
<p>The two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project plant near Houston were <a href=&quot;https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;>operating at full capacity</a> despite wind gusts that peaked at 130 mph as the Hurricane made landfall. The <a href=&quot;https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;>plant implemented its severe weather protocols as planned</a> and completed hurricane preparations ahead of Category 4 Hurricane Harvey striking the Texas Gulf Coast on August 25th.</p> 
<p> 
 </p> 
<p><a href=&quot;https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;>Anyone who knows anything about nuclear was not surprised</a>. Nuclear is the only energy source immune to all extreme weather events – by design.</p> 
<p>This <a href=&quot;http://world-nuclear-news.org/RS-Texan-nuclear-plants-run-through-Hurricane-Harvey-2908174.html&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>nuclear plant has steel-reinforced concrete containment</a> with 4-foot (1.2 meter) thick walls. The buildings housing the two reactors, vital equipment and used fuel have steel-reinforced concrete walls up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) thick, which are built to withstand any category hurricane or tornado. It can even withstand a plane flying directly into it.</p> 
<div class=&quot;vestpocket&quot; vest-pocket=&quot;&quot;></div> 
<div id=&quot;attachment_6939&quot; class=&quot;wp-caption alignnone&quot;> 
 <div class=&quot;article-body-image&quot;> 
  <a href=&quot;https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/South-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg&quot;><progressive-image class=&quot;progressive-placeholder&quot; src=&quot;https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fjamesconca%2Ffiles%2F2017%2F08%2FSouth-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg%3Fwidth%3D960&quot; low-res-src=&quot;https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/100x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fjamesconca%2Ffiles%2F2017%2F08%2FSouth-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg%3Fwidth%3D960&quot;></progressive-image></a> 
  <small class=&quot;article-photo-credit&quot;>STPNOC</small> 
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    <p class=&quot;wp-caption-text&quot;>The two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company near Houston, Texas has been operating at full capacity on Tuesday throughout the historic flooding and winds caused by Hurricane, then Tropical Storm, Harvey. Despite wind gusts that peaked at 130 mph as Harvey made landfall.</p> 
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<p>The plant is located 10 miles (16 kilometers) inland and at an elevation of 29 feet (8.8 meters) above sea-level. The facility is designed with watertight buildings and doors, with all buildings housing safety-related equipment being flood-proof to an elevation of at least 41 feet (12.5 meters).</p> 
<p>‘We’ve got significant rain but flooding has not been an issue here,’ plant spokesman Buddy Eller said in a phone call about the reactors.</p> 
<p>That the nuclear plant is just fine seemed to irk anti-nuclear groups who don’t want to see nuclear ever performing well, even if it helps the storm-wracked people of south Texas when other power sources are failing.</p> 
<p>Three watchdog groups, the Sustainable Energy &amp;amp; Economic Development coalition (SEED), the South Texas Association for Responsible Energy and Beyond Nuclear recklessly urged politicians, the owners, and regulators to shut down the plant because of Harvey, even if it hurt residents, emergency workers and hospitals who desperately need that power.</p> 
<p>But the regulators and the State would have none of that nonsense, understanding that these groups just peddle fear. The reactors provide 2,700 MW of power to 2,000,000 customers in the area.</p> 
<p>U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff are at the plant, constantly assessing the situation and safety aspects. ‘The South Texas Project reactors have been operating safely throughout Harvey and continue to do so,’ NRC spokesman Scott Burnell said.<span>&amp;nbsp;The reactors can be shut down quickly if something develops, but that’s not expected to be necessary.</span></p> 
<p>Two-hundred and fifty storm crew workers, along with regulators, were running the plant and were set up with sleeping arrangements, food and water to weather the storm no matter how long it took. None of them were afraid, knowing how safe the reactors are.</p> 
<p>No other industry was as prepared.</p> 
<p>According to the online news source <a href=&quot;http://nawindpower.com/checking-texas-wind-farms-path-harvey&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;>North American Wind Power</a>, one large wind installation in the path of the storm sent all 39 workers home as the hurricane closed in, but operated remotely until the wind hit 55 mph. It then shut down automatically like all farms when wind speeds exceed their design limits. Most wind farms have not sustained much damage, but getting them back to capacity will be difficult.</p> 
<p>The Nuclear Regulatory Commission also said Harvey does not pose a threat to the Waterford Nuclear Power Plant in New Orleans and the River Bend Plant near Baton Rouge.</p> 
<p>We’ve seen this before. Last summer, a <a href=&quot;https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2016/07/28/americas-heat-wave-no-sweat-for-nuclear-power/#757e2a91163c&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;>heat wave cooked America</a> with extreme temperatures, affecting most energy production as well as causing fires and water shortages, sucking electricity like crazy to power the cooling necessary to avoid discomfort and even death. According to the National Weather Service, 122 million Americans were under heat alerts.</p> 
<p>Fortunately, nuclear power didn’t mind, scoring record capacity factors of 96% and up, with no increase in price. Other energy sources did not fare so well and some gas plants gouged consumers just because they could.</p> 
<p>In 2014, a <a href=&quot;https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/01/12/polar-vortex-nuclear-saves-the-day/#490f1cac6b08&quot; target=&quot;_self&quot;>Polar Vortex shut down natural gas and coal plants</a>, and stopped wind turbines and solar generation. But nuclear performed wonderfully and provided more power to the hard-hit northeast than any other source.</p> 
<p>Whether it’s hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, heat waves or severe cold, nuclear performs more reliably than anything else. There’s no better reason to retain our nuclear fleet, and even expand it, to give us a diverse energy mix that can handle any natural disaster that can occur.</p>"><div id="attachment_6937" class="wp-caption alignnone"> 
 <div class="article-body-image"> 
  <a href="https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/HarveyNASA.jpg"><progressive-image class="progressive-placeholder" src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fjamesconca%2Ffiles%2F2017%2F08%2FHarveyNASA.jpg%3Fwidth%3D960" low-res-src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/100x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fjamesconca%2Ffiles%2F2017%2F08%2FHarveyNASA.jpg%3Fwidth%3D960"></progressive-image></a> 
  <small class="article-photo-credit">NOAA/NASA</small> 
 </div> 
 <div article-image-caption=""> 
  <div class="caption-container" ng-class="caption_state"> 
   <fbs-accordion current="0"> 
    <p class="wp-caption-text">NASA satellite images show NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite image of Tropical Storm Harvey sitting over Texas and the two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company near Houston.</p> 
   </fbs-accordion> 
  </div> 
 </div> 
</div> 
<p class="speakable-paragraph">Hurricane Harvey made land fall in Texas this week and the flooding was historic. What is shaping up to be the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-harvey-economic-impact-2017-8/#the-cost-of-harvey-1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">most costly natural disaster in American history</a>, the storm has <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2017/08/30/hurricane-harvey-forces-even-more-texas-oil-refineries-to-close/#241ceafe7c80" target="_self">left refineries shut down</a>, interrupted <a href="https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/08/26/hurricane-harvey-threatens-wind-farm-output/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">wind and solar generation</a>, caused a constant worry about gas explosions, and caused a chain of events that led to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/risk-chemical-plant-explosion-houston-prompts-evacuation-harvey/story?id=49521170" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">explosions and fires</a> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/08/30/texas-town-under-emergency-evacuation-as-flooded-chemical-plant-nears-explosion/?utm_term=.7da296ed9ddd" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">at the Arkema chemical plant</a> that is only the beginning.</p> 
<p>Over a fifth of the country’s oil production has been shuttered. Natural gas futures hit a 2-year high as did <a href="http://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/gas-prices-take-drastic-hike-from-hurricane-harvey-destruction/600804430" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">gasoline prices at the pump</a>.</p> 
<p>But the Texas nuclear power plants <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-harvey-nuclearpower-idUSKCN1B92KG" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">have been running smoothly</a>.</p> 
<p>The two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project plant near Houston were <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87" target="_self">operating at full capacity</a> despite wind gusts that peaked at 130 mph as the Hurricane made landfall. The <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87" target="_self">plant implemented its severe weather protocols as planned</a> and completed hurricane preparations ahead of Category 4 Hurricane Harvey striking the Texas Gulf Coast on August 25th.</p> 
<p> 
 </p> 
<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87" target="_self">Anyone who knows anything about nuclear was not surprised</a>. Nuclear is the only energy source immune to all extreme weather events – by design.</p> 
<p>This <a href="http://world-nuclear-news.org/RS-Texan-nuclear-plants-run-through-Hurricane-Harvey-2908174.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">nuclear plant has steel-reinforced concrete containment</a> with 4-foot (1.2 meter) thick walls. The buildings housing the two reactors, vital equipment and used fuel have steel-reinforced concrete walls up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) thick, which are built to withstand any category hurricane or tornado. It can even withstand a plane flying directly into it.</p> 
<div class="vestpocket" vest-pocket=""></div> 
<div id="attachment_6939" class="wp-caption alignnone"> 
 <div class="article-body-image"> 
  <a href="https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/South-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg"><progressive-image class="progressive-placeholder" src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/960x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fjamesconca%2Ffiles%2F2017%2F08%2FSouth-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg%3Fwidth%3D960" low-res-src="https://thumbor.forbes.com/thumbor/100x0/smart/https%3A%2F%2Fblogs-images.forbes.com%2Fjamesconca%2Ffiles%2F2017%2F08%2FSouth-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg%3Fwidth%3D960"></progressive-image></a> 
  <small class="article-photo-credit">STPNOC</small> 
 </div> 
 <div article-image-caption=""> 
  <div class="caption-container" ng-class="caption_state"> 
   <fbs-accordion current="0"> 
    <p class="wp-caption-text">The two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company near Houston, Texas has been operating at full capacity on Tuesday throughout the historic flooding and winds caused by Hurricane, then Tropical Storm, Harvey. Despite wind gusts that peaked at 130 mph as Harvey made landfall.</p> 
   </fbs-accordion> 
  </div> 
 </div> 
</div> 
<p>The plant is located 10 miles (16 kilometers) inland and at an elevation of 29 feet (8.8 meters) above sea-level. The facility is designed with watertight buildings and doors, with all buildings housing safety-related equipment being flood-proof to an elevation of at least 41 feet (12.5 meters).</p> 
<p>‘We’ve got significant rain but flooding has not been an issue here,’ plant spokesman Buddy Eller said in a phone call about the reactors.</p> 
<p>That the nuclear plant is just fine seemed to irk anti-nuclear groups who don’t want to see nuclear ever performing well, even if it helps the storm-wracked people of south Texas when other power sources are failing.</p> 
<p>Three watchdog groups, the Sustainable Energy &amp; Economic Development coalition (SEED), the South Texas Association for Responsible Energy and Beyond Nuclear recklessly urged politicians, the owners, and regulators to shut down the plant because of Harvey, even if it hurt residents, emergency workers and hospitals who desperately need that power.</p> 
<p>But the regulators and the State would have none of that nonsense, understanding that these groups just peddle fear. The reactors provide 2,700 MW of power to 2,000,000 customers in the area.</p> 
<p>U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff are at the plant, constantly assessing the situation and safety aspects. ‘The South Texas Project reactors have been operating safely throughout Harvey and continue to do so,’ NRC spokesman Scott Burnell said.<span>&nbsp;The reactors can be shut down quickly if something develops, but that’s not expected to be necessary.</span></p> 
<p>Two-hundred and fifty storm crew workers, along with regulators, were running the plant and were set up with sleeping arrangements, food and water to weather the storm no matter how long it took. None of them were afraid, knowing how safe the reactors are.</p> 
<p>No other industry was as prepared.</p> 
<p>According to the online news source <a href="http://nawindpower.com/checking-texas-wind-farms-path-harvey" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">North American Wind Power</a>, one large wind installation in the path of the storm sent all 39 workers home as the hurricane closed in, but operated remotely until the wind hit 55 mph. It then shut down automatically like all farms when wind speeds exceed their design limits. Most wind farms have not sustained much damage, but getting them back to capacity will be difficult.</p> 
<p>The Nuclear Regulatory Commission also said Harvey does not pose a threat to the Waterford Nuclear Power Plant in New Orleans and the River Bend Plant near Baton Rouge.</p> 
<p>We’ve seen this before. Last summer, a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2016/07/28/americas-heat-wave-no-sweat-for-nuclear-power/#757e2a91163c" target="_self">heat wave cooked America</a> with extreme temperatures, affecting most energy production as well as causing fires and water shortages, sucking electricity like crazy to power the cooling necessary to avoid discomfort and even death. According to the National Weather Service, 122 million Americans were under heat alerts.</p> 
<p>Fortunately, nuclear power didn’t mind, scoring record capacity factors of 96% and up, with no increase in price. Other energy sources did not fare so well and some gas plants gouged consumers just because they could.</p> 
<p>In 2014, a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/01/12/polar-vortex-nuclear-saves-the-day/#490f1cac6b08" target="_self">Polar Vortex shut down natural gas and coal plants</a>, and stopped wind turbines and solar generation. But nuclear performed wonderfully and provided more power to the hard-hit northeast than any other source.</p> 
<p>Whether it’s hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, heat waves or severe cold, nuclear performs more reliably than anything else. There’s no better reason to retain our nuclear fleet, and even expand it, to give us a diverse energy mix that can handle any natural disaster that can occur.</p></div>
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<!----><sig-file _ngcontent-c20=""><div innerhtml="<p><em>Dr. James Conca is an expert on energy, nuclear and dirty bombs, a planetary geologist, and a professional speaker. Follow him on Twitter @jimconca and see his book at <a title=&quot;Amazon.com&quot; href=&quot;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419675885/sr=1-10/qid=1195953013/%20&quot;>Amazon.com</a></em></p>"><p><em>Dr. James Conca is an expert on energy, nuclear and dirty bombs, a planetary geologist, and a professional speaker. Follow him on Twitter @jimconca and see his book at <a title="Amazon.com" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419675885/sr=1-10/qid=1195953013/%20">Amazon.com</a></em></p></div></sig-file>
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	</app-root><script id="ng-templates-state" type="application/json">{&q;environmentName&q;:&q;prod&q;,&q;is_mobile&q;:false,&q;/forbesapi/content/uri.json?shortcodes=true&a;slides=true&a;type=ng&a;tickers=true&a;bvallpages=true&a;autovpslider=true&a;stream=true&a;compressimages=true&a;mobile=false&a;prgsmobileads=false&a;relativeVideo=true&a;videoplayertype=brightcove_perform_with_keyvalues&a;swimlane=&a;uri=http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2017/09/01/hurricane-harvey-makes-the-case-for-nuclear-power/&q;:{&q;content&q;:{&q;id&q;:&q;content_59a8c2db64aaf92367ae9c11&q;,&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAndPostId/blog/post/2163-6934&q;,&q;source&q;:&q;blogs&q;,&q;author&q;:&q;James Conca&q;,&q;title&q;:&q;Hurricane Harvey Makes The Case For Nuclear Power&q;,&q;date&q;:1504260000000,&q;body&q;:&q;&l;p&g;[caption id=\&q;attachment_6937\&q; photocredit=\&q;NOAA/NASA\&q;  align=\&q;\&q; width=\&q;810\&q;]&l;a href=\&q;https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/HarveyNASA.jpg\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;&l;img class=\&q;size-full wp-image-6937\&q; src=\&q;http://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/HarveyNASA.jpg?width=960\&q; alt=\&q;\&q; data-height=\&q;615\&q; data-width=\&q;810\&q;&g;&l;/a&g; NASA satellite images show NASA-NOAA&s;s Suomi NPP satellite image of Tropical Storm Harvey sitting over Texas and the two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company near Houston.[/caption]\r\n\r\nHurricane Harvey made land fall in Texas this week and the flooding was historic. What is shaping up to be the &l;a href=\&q;http://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-harvey-economic-impact-2017-8/#the-cost-of-harvey-1\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;most costly natural disaster in American history&l;/a&g;, the storm has &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2017/08/30/hurricane-harvey-forces-even-more-texas-oil-refineries-to-close/#241ceafe7c80\&q;&g;left refineries shut down&l;/a&g;, interrupted &l;a href=\&q;https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/08/26/hurricane-harvey-threatens-wind-farm-output/\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;wind and solar generation&l;/a&g;, caused a constant worry about gas explosions, and caused a chain of events that led to &l;a href=\&q;http://abcnews.go.com/US/risk-chemical-plant-explosion-houston-prompts-evacuation-harvey/story?id=49521170\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;explosions and fires&l;/a&g; &l;a href=\&q;https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/08/30/texas-town-under-emergency-evacuation-as-flooded-chemical-plant-nears-explosion/?utm_term=.7da296ed9ddd\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;at the Arkema chemical plant&l;/a&g; that is only the beginning.\r\n\r\nOver a fifth of the country&a;rsquo;s oil production has been shuttered. Natural gas futures hit a 2-year high as did &l;a href=\&q;http://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/gas-prices-take-drastic-hike-from-hurricane-harvey-destruction/600804430\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;gasoline prices at the pump&l;/a&g;.\r\n\r\nBut the Texas nuclear power plants &l;a href=\&q;https://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-harvey-nuclearpower-idUSKCN1B92KG\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;have been running smoothly&l;/a&g;.\r\n\r\nThe two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project plant near Houston were &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87\&q;&g;operating at full capacity&l;/a&g; despite wind gusts that peaked at 130 mph as the Hurricane made landfall. The &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87\&q;&g;plant implemented its severe weather protocols as planned&l;/a&g; and completed hurricane preparations ahead of Category 4 Hurricane Harvey striking the Texas Gulf Coast on August 25th.\r\n\r\n&l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87\&q;&g;Anyone who knows anything about nuclear was not surprised&l;/a&g;. Nuclear is the only energy source immune to all extreme weather events &a;ndash; by design.\r\n\r\nThis &l;a href=\&q;http://world-nuclear-news.org/RS-Texan-nuclear-plants-run-through-Hurricane-Harvey-2908174.html\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;nuclear plant has steel-reinforced concrete containment&l;/a&g; with 4-foot (1.2 meter) thick walls. The buildings housing the two reactors, vital equipment and used fuel have steel-reinforced concrete walls up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) thick, which are built to withstand any category hurricane or tornado. It can even withstand a plane flying directly into it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\&q;attachment_6939\&q; photocredit=\&q;STPNOC\&q;  align=\&q;\&q; width=\&q;900\&q;]&l;a href=\&q;https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/South-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;&l;img class=\&q;size-full wp-image-6939\&q; src=\&q;http://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/South-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg?width=960\&q; alt=\&q;\&q; data-height=\&q;525\&q; data-width=\&q;900\&q;&g;&l;/a&g; The two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company near Houston, Texas has been operating at full capacity on Tuesday throughout the historic flooding and winds caused by Hurricane, then Tropical Storm, Harvey. Despite wind gusts that peaked at 130 mph as Harvey made landfall.[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe plant is located 10 miles (16 kilometers) inland and at an elevation of 29 feet (8.8 meters) above sea-level. The facility is designed with watertight buildings and doors, with all buildings housing safety-related equipment being flood-proof to an elevation of at least 41 feet (12.5 meters).\r\n\r\n&a;lsquo;We&a;rsquo;ve got significant rain but flooding has not been an issue here,&a;rsquo; plant spokesman Buddy Eller said in a phone call about the reactors.\r\n\r\nThat the nuclear plant is just fine seemed to irk anti-nuclear groups who don&a;rsquo;t want to see nuclear ever performing well, even if it helps the storm-wracked people of south Texas when other power sources are failing.\r\n\r\nThree watchdog groups, the Sustainable Energy &a;amp; Economic Development coalition (SEED), the South Texas Association for Responsible Energy and Beyond Nuclear recklessly urged politicians, the owners, and regulators to shut down the plant because of Harvey, even if it hurt residents, emergency workers and hospitals who desperately need that power.\r\n\r\nBut the regulators and the State would have none of that nonsense, understanding that these groups just peddle fear. The reactors provide 2,700 MW of power to 2,000,000 customers in the area.\r\n\r\nU.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff are at the plant, constantly assessing the situation and safety aspects. &a;lsquo;The South Texas Project reactors have been operating safely throughout Harvey and continue to do so,&a;rsquo; NRC spokesman Scott Burnell said.&l;span&g;&a;nbsp;The reactors can be shut down quickly if something develops, but that&a;rsquo;s not expected to be necessary.&l;/span&g;\r\n\r\nTwo-hundred and fifty storm crew workers, along with regulators, were running the plant and were set up with sleeping arrangements, food and water to weather the storm no matter how long it took. None of them were afraid, knowing how safe the reactors are.\r\n\r\nNo other industry was as prepared.\r\n\r\nAccording to the online news source &l;a href=\&q;http://nawindpower.com/checking-texas-wind-farms-path-harvey\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q;&g;North American Wind Power&l;/a&g;, one large wind installation in the path of the storm sent all 39 workers home as the hurricane closed in, but operated remotely until the wind hit 55 mph. It then shut down automatically like all farms when wind speeds exceed their design limits. Most wind farms have not sustained much damage, but getting them back to capacity will be difficult.\r\n\r\nThe Nuclear Regulatory Commission also said Harvey does not pose a threat to the Waterford Nuclear Power Plant in New Orleans and the River Bend Plant near Baton Rouge.\r\n\r\nWe&a;rsquo;ve seen this before. Last summer, a &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2016/07/28/americas-heat-wave-no-sweat-for-nuclear-power/#757e2a91163c\&q;&g;heat wave cooked America&l;/a&g; with extreme temperatures, affecting most energy production as well as causing fires and water shortages, sucking electricity like crazy to power the cooling necessary to avoid discomfort and even death. According to the National Weather Service, 122 million Americans were under heat alerts.\r\n\r\nFortunately, nuclear power didn&a;rsquo;t mind, scoring record capacity factors of 96% and up, with no increase in price. Other energy sources did not fare so well and some gas plants gouged consumers just because they could.\r\n\r\nIn 2014, a &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/01/12/polar-vortex-nuclear-saves-the-day/#490f1cac6b08\&q;&g;Polar Vortex shut down natural gas and coal plants&l;/a&g;, and stopped wind turbines and solar generation. But nuclear performed wonderfully and provided more power to the hard-hit northeast than any other source.\r\n\r\nWhether it&a;rsquo;s hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, heat waves or severe cold, nuclear performs more reliably than anything else. There&a;rsquo;s no better reason to retain our nuclear fleet, and even expand it, to give us a diverse energy mix that can handle any natural disaster that can occur.\r\n&l;!--donotpaginate--&g;&l;/p&g;&q;,&q;description&q;:&q;Hurricane Harvey will be the most costly natural disaster in American history, shutting over a fifth of the country’s oil production. But the Texas nuclear power plants have been running smoothly, making a strong case for a substantial nuclear fleet in our energy mix.&q;,&q;image&q;:&q;https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/HarveyNASA.jpg&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;blog&q;,&q;storyType&q;:&q;post&q;,&q;uri&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2017/09/01/hurricane-harvey-makes-the-case-for-nuclear-power/&q;,&q;comments&q;:[],&q;visible&q;:true,&q;authors&q;:[{&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/223118&q;,&q;name&q;:&q;James Conca&q;,&q;avatars&q;:[{&q;size&q;:400,&q;image&q;:&q;https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=400&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:136,&q;image&q;:&q;https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=136&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:62,&q;image&q;:&q;https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=62&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:40,&q;image&q;:&q;https://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=40&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;}],&q;url&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;Contributor&q;,&q;profileUrl&q;:&q;/sites/jamesconca/&q;,&q;twitterName&q;:&q;JimConca&q;,&q;authorType&q;:&q;individual&q;,&q;linkedIn&q;:&q;https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jim-conca/7/103/2a5&q;,&q;email&q;:&q;jim@ufaventures.com&q;,&q;blog&q;:false,&q;timestamp&q;:1490738773978,&q;shortBio&q;:&q;I write about nuclear, energy and the environment&q;,&q;amazon&q;:&q;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419675885/sr=1-10/qid=1195953013/&q;,&q;webSite&q;:&q;http://www.pimsnw.com&q;,&q;blogName&q;:&q;The Geopolitics Of Energy&q;,&q;topics&q;:[&q;business&q;,&q;energy&q;,&q;health&q;,&q;politics&q;,&q;washington&q;,&q;insights&q;,&q;innovation-and-science&q;,&q;green-tech&q;,&q;tech&q;,&q;education&q;,&q;small-business-roundtable&q;,&q;international&q;],&q;recentFlag&q;:false,&q;description&q;:&q;I have been a scientist in the field of the earth and environmental sciences for 33 years, specializing in geologic disposal of nuclear waste, energy-related research, planetary surface processes, radiobiology and shielding for space colonies, subsurface transport and environmental clean-up of heavy metals. I am a Trustee of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation, Adjunct at WSU, an Affiliate Scientist at LANL and consult on strategic planning for the DOE, EPA/State environmental agencies, and industry including companies that own nuclear, hydro, wind farms, large solar arrays, coal and gas plants. I also consult for EPA/State environmental agencies and industry on clean-up of heavy metals from soil and water. For over 25 years I have been a member of Sierra Club, Greenpeace, the NRDC, the Environmental Defense Fund and many others, as well as professional societies including the America Nuclear Society, the American Chemical Society, the Geological Society of America and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.&q;,&q;recentActivityCount&q;:0,&q;latestActivityDate&q;:1447326000000,&q;dailyActivityCount&q;:0,&q;primaryBlogNaturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/blog-2163&q;,&q;shortUri&q;:&q;http://onforb.es/12ljhvZ&q;,&q;displayChannel&q;:&q;business&q;,&q;displaySection&q;:&q;energy&q;,&q;contributorSince&q;:1326953067000,&q;slug&q;:&q;jamesconca&q;,&q;showNoVestPocket&q;:false,&q;embargo&q;:false,&q;primaryChannelId&q;:&q;channel_1&q;,&q;primarySectionId&q;:&q;section_2&q;,&q;altEmail&q;:&q;jim@ufaventures.com&q;,&q;enableContribContact&q;:true,&q;sigfile&q;:&q;&l;em&g;Dr. James Conca is an expert on energy, nuclear and dirty bombs, a planetary geologist, and a professional speaker. Follow him on Twitter @jimconca and see his book at &l;a title=\&q;Amazon.com\&q; href=\&q;http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419675885/sr=1-10/qid=1195953013/%20\&q;&g;Amazon.com&l;/a&g;&l;/em&g;&q;,&q;enableTwitterFeed&q;:false,&q;disableCanonical&q;:false,&q;disableDigest&q;:false,&q;forbesTwitterProfile&q;:{&q;screenName&q;:&q;JimConca&q;,&q;name&q;:&q;James Conca&q;,&q;profileImageUrl&q;:&q;http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/3359406235/d8bee6aaefe9e48b3bf5664c09f3d917.jpeg&q;,&q;description&q;:&q;I have been a PhD scientist in the field of the earth and environmental sciences for 31 years, and am a Forbes contributor at http://t.co/yo9XZT6oA6&q;,&q;createdDate&q;:1362866370000,&q;location&q;:&q;&q;,&q;url&q;:null,&q;expandedUrl&q;:null,&q;displayUrl&q;:null,&q;verified&q;:false},&q;inactive&q;:true,&q;primaryChannel&q;:{&q;id&q;:&q;channel_1&q;,&q;channelId&q;:&q;channel_1&q;,&q;channelName&q;:&q;Business&q;,&q;sectionId&q;:&q;section_2&q;,&q;sectionName&q;:&q;Energy&q;,&q;url&q;:&q;/energy&q;,&q;shortName&q;:&q;Energy&q;},&q;division&q;:&q;FC&q;,&q;allowEmail&q;:false,&q;avatar_map&q;:{}},{&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/blog-2163&q;,&q;name&q;:&q;The Geopolitics Of Energy&q;,&q;avatars&q;:[{&q;size&q;:0,&q;image&q;:&q;&q;},{&q;size&q;:0,&q;image&q;:&q;&q;},{&q;size&q;:0,&q;image&q;:&q;&q;},{&q;size&q;:0,&q;image&q;:&q;&q;}],&q;url&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/&q;,&q;profileUrl&q;:&q;http://blogs.forbes.com/jamesconca/profile/&q;,&q;twitterName&q;:&q;JimConca&q;,&q;authorType&q;:&q;individual&q;,&q;linkedIn&q;:&q;https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jim-conca/7/103/2a5&q;,&q;blog&q;:true,&q;timestamp&q;:1489629076069,&q;topics&q;:[&q;leadership&q;,&q;lifestyle&q;,&q;green-tech&q;,&q;health&q;,&q;energy&q;,&q;business&q;,&q;politics&q;,&q;washington&q;,&q;insights&q;,&q;innovation-and-science&q;,&q;tech&q;,&q;education&q;,&q;small-business-roundtable&q;,&q;international&q;],&q;recentActivityCount&q;:1,&q;latestActivityDate&q;:1447326000000,&q;dailyActivityCount&q;:0,&q;primaryBlogNaturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/blog-2163&q;,&q;primaryContributor&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/223118&q;,&q;primaryContributorData&q;:{&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAuthorId/blog/author/223118&q;,&q;name&q;:&q;James Conca&q;,&q;avatars&q;:[{&q;size&q;:136,&q;image&q;:&q;http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=136&a;#038;d=mm&a;#038;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:40,&q;image&q;:&q;http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=40&a;#038;d=mm&a;#038;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:400,&q;image&q;:&q;http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=400&a;#038;d=mm&a;#038;r=g&q;},{&q;size&q;:62,&q;image&q;:&q;http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=62&a;#038;d=mm&a;#038;r=g&q;}],&q;blog&q;:false,&q;shortBio&q;:&q;I write about nuclear, energy and the environment&q;,&q;description&q;:&q;I have been a scientist in the field of the earth and environmental sciences for 33 years, specializing in geologic disposal of nuclear waste, energy-related research, planetary surface processes, radiobiology and shielding for space colonies, subsurface transport and environmental clean-up of heavy metals. I am a Trustee of the Herbert M. Parker Foundation and consult on strategic planning for the DOE, EPA/State environmental agencies, and industry including companies that own nuclear, hydro, wind farms, large solar arrays, coal and gas plants. I also consult for EPA/State environmental agencies and industry on clean-up of heavy metals from soil and water. 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Give Credit To Resilient Operators,...&q;,&q;contentType&q;:&q;blog&q;,&q;position&q;:1,&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAndPostId/blog/post/4440-844&q;,&q;authorImage&q;:&q;https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f7cf89b0fbf11838133e800c0e010281?s=40&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;,&q;authorUrl&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/&q;,&q;authorType&q;:&q;Contributor&q;,&q;authorName&q;:&q;Rod Adams&q;,&q;blogType&q;:&q;individual&q;},{&q;id&q;:&q;514e713876e451ac6cd453a2&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;blog&q;,&q;uri&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2013/03/24/imagine-theres-no-fear/&q;,&q;image&q;:&q;http://b-i.forbesimg.com/jamesconca/files/2013/03/Atomic-Bomb.jpg&q;,&q;title&q;:&q;Why Are We So Afraid of Nuclear?&q;,&q;contentType&q;:&q;blog&q;,&q;position&q;:2,&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAndPostId/blog/post/2163-1546&q;,&q;authorImage&q;:&q;http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=40&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;,&q;authorUrl&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/&q;,&q;authorType&q;:&q;Contributor&q;,&q;authorName&q;:&q;James Conca&q;,&q;blogType&q;:&q;individual&q;},{&q;id&q;:&q;555424e4e4b0521fc565daae&q;,&q;type&q;:&q;blog&q;,&q;uri&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2015/05/14/why-dont-nuclear-scientists-get-any-respect/&q;,&q;title&q;:&q;Climate Scientists Get Respect, So Why Don&s;t Nuclear Scientists?&q;,&q;contentType&q;:&q;blog&q;,&q;position&q;:3,&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAndPostId/blog/post/2163-4905&q;,&q;authorImage&q;:&q;http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/f2372fcb635794e8663bd17c53a268fc?s=40&a;d=mm&a;r=g&q;,&q;authorUrl&q;:&q;http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/&q;,&q;authorType&q;:&q;Contributor&q;,&q;authorName&q;:&q;James Conca&q;,&q;blogType&q;:&q;individual&q;},{&q;type&q;:&q;slide&q;,&q;uri&q;:&q;https://www.forbes.com/pictures/mlj45jggj/1-detroit/&q;,&q;image&q;:&q;http://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/026M72T8ElbzS/&q;,&q;title&q;:&q;The 10 Most Dangerous U.S. Cities&q;,&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAndSlideId/blog/slide/986-6336&q;,&q;count&q;:31927,&q;reason&q;:&q;MP-G&q;},{&q;type&q;:&q;blog&q;,&q;uri&q;:&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2018/02/17/box-office-black-panther-superhero-fatigues-to-record-crushing-76m-friday/&q;,&q;image&q;:&q;https://blogs-images.forbes.com/scottmendelson/files/2018/02/MV5BNDg3MTY3ODMzMV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwODgwMDk1NDM@._V1_SX1777_CR001777937_AL_-1-1200x633.jpg&q;,&q;title&q;:&q;Box Office: &s;Black Panther&s; Superhero Fatigues To Record $76M Friday&q;,&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAndPostId/blog/post/2595-47832&q;,&q;count&q;:218028,&q;reason&q;:&q;PV-D&q;},{&q;type&q;:&q;slide&q;,&q;uri&q;:&q;https://www.forbes.com/pictures/feki45eieki/the-toughest-jobs-to-fil/&q;,&q;image&q;:&q;http://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/316974200/&q;,&q;title&q;:&q;The Toughest Jobs To Fill In 2017&q;,&q;naturalId&q;:&q;blogAndSlideId/blog/slide/2175-15175&q;,&q;count&q;:21700,&q;reason&q;:&q;MP-G&q;},{&q;type&q;:&q;video&q;,&q;uri&q;:&q;https://www.forbes.com/video/5194759064001/&q;,&q;image&q;:&q;http://i.forbesimg.com/media/video/2018/02/06/5194759064001_still.jpg&q;,&q;title&q;:&q;Why So Many Millennials Experience Impostor Syndrome&q;,&q;reason&q;:&q;MP-V&q;}],&q;generatedId&q;:&q;fejg45jmgh&q;,&q;manualDescription&q;:&q;Hurricane Harvey will be the most costly natural disaster in American history, shutting over a fifth of the country’s oil production. 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class=\&q;wp-caption alignnone\&q;&g; \n &l;div class=\&q;article-body-image\&q;&g; \n  &l;a href=\&q;https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/HarveyNASA.jpg\&q;&g;&l;img class=\&q;size-full wp-image-6937\&q; src=\&q;//blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/HarveyNASA.jpg?width=960\&q; alt=\&q;\&q; data-height=\&q;615\&q; data-width=\&q;810\&q; /&g;&l;/a&g; \n  &l;small class=\&q;article-photo-credit\&q;&g;NOAA/NASA&l;/small&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n &l;div article-image-caption=\&q;\&q;&g; \n  &l;div class=\&q;caption-container\&q; ng-class=\&q;caption_state\&q;&g; \n   &l;fbs-accordion current=\&q;0\&q;&g; \n    &l;p class=\&q;wp-caption-text\&q;&g;NASA satellite images show NASA-NOAA&s;s Suomi NPP satellite image of Tropical Storm Harvey sitting over Texas and the two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company near Houston.&l;/p&g; \n   &l;/fbs-accordion&g; \n  &l;/div&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n&l;/div&g; \n&l;p&g;Hurricane Harvey made land fall in Texas this week and the flooding was historic. What is shaping up to be the &l;a href=\&q;http://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-harvey-economic-impact-2017-8/#the-cost-of-harvey-1\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;most costly natural disaster in American history&l;/a&g;, the storm has &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2017/08/30/hurricane-harvey-forces-even-more-texas-oil-refineries-to-close/#241ceafe7c80\&q; target=\&q;_self\&q;&g;left refineries shut down&l;/a&g;, interrupted &l;a href=\&q;https://wattsupwiththat.com/2017/08/26/hurricane-harvey-threatens-wind-farm-output/\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;wind and solar generation&l;/a&g;, caused a constant worry about gas explosions, and caused a chain of events that led to &l;a href=\&q;http://abcnews.go.com/US/risk-chemical-plant-explosion-houston-prompts-evacuation-harvey/story?id=49521170\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;explosions and fires&l;/a&g; &l;a href=\&q;https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/08/30/texas-town-under-emergency-evacuation-as-flooded-chemical-plant-nears-explosion/?utm_term=.7da296ed9ddd\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;at the Arkema chemical plant&l;/a&g; that is only the beginning.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;Over a fifth of the country’s oil production has been shuttered. Natural gas futures hit a 2-year high as did &l;a href=\&q;http://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/gas-prices-take-drastic-hike-from-hurricane-harvey-destruction/600804430\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;gasoline prices at the pump&l;/a&g;.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;But the Texas nuclear power plants &l;a href=\&q;https://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-harvey-nuclearpower-idUSKCN1B92KG\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;have been running smoothly&l;/a&g;.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;The two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project plant near Houston were &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87\&q; target=\&q;_self\&q;&g;operating at full capacity&l;/a&g; despite wind gusts that peaked at 130 mph as the Hurricane made landfall. The &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87\&q; target=\&q;_self\&q;&g;plant implemented its severe weather protocols as planned&l;/a&g; and completed hurricane preparations ahead of Category 4 Hurricane Harvey striking the Texas Gulf Coast on August 25th.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g; \n &l;fbs-ad position=\&q;inread\&q; progressive=\&q;\&q;&g;&l;/fbs-ad&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;&l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodadams/2017/08/30/nuke-plant-could-close-but-didnt-give-credit-to-resilient-operators-robust-design-and-a-plan/#556d18736f87\&q; target=\&q;_self\&q;&g;Anyone who knows anything about nuclear was not surprised&l;/a&g;. Nuclear is the only energy source immune to all extreme weather events – by design.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;This &l;a href=\&q;http://world-nuclear-news.org/RS-Texan-nuclear-plants-run-through-Hurricane-Harvey-2908174.html\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;nuclear plant has steel-reinforced concrete containment&l;/a&g; with 4-foot (1.2 meter) thick walls. The buildings housing the two reactors, vital equipment and used fuel have steel-reinforced concrete walls up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) thick, which are built to withstand any category hurricane or tornado. It can even withstand a plane flying directly into it.&l;/p&g; \n&l;div class=\&q;vestpocket\&q; vest-pocket=\&q;\&q;&g;&l;/div&g; \n&l;div id=\&q;attachment_6939\&q; class=\&q;wp-caption alignnone\&q;&g; \n &l;div class=\&q;article-body-image\&q;&g; \n  &l;a href=\&q;https://blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/South-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg\&q;&g;&l;img class=\&q;size-full wp-image-6939\&q; src=\&q;//blogs-images.forbes.com/jamesconca/files/2017/08/South-Texas-Nuclear-STPNOC.jpg?width=960\&q; alt=\&q;\&q; data-height=\&q;525\&q; data-width=\&q;900\&q; /&g;&l;/a&g; \n  &l;small class=\&q;article-photo-credit\&q;&g;STPNOC&l;/small&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n &l;div article-image-caption=\&q;\&q;&g; \n  &l;div class=\&q;caption-container\&q; ng-class=\&q;caption_state\&q;&g; \n   &l;fbs-accordion current=\&q;0\&q;&g; \n    &l;p class=\&q;wp-caption-text\&q;&g;The two nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company near Houston, Texas has been operating at full capacity on Tuesday throughout the historic flooding and winds caused by Hurricane, then Tropical Storm, Harvey. Despite wind gusts that peaked at 130 mph as Harvey made landfall.&l;/p&g; \n   &l;/fbs-accordion&g; \n  &l;/div&g; \n &l;/div&g; \n&l;/div&g; \n&l;p&g;The plant is located 10 miles (16 kilometers) inland and at an elevation of 29 feet (8.8 meters) above sea-level. The facility is designed with watertight buildings and doors, with all buildings housing safety-related equipment being flood-proof to an elevation of at least 41 feet (12.5 meters).&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;‘We’ve got significant rain but flooding has not been an issue here,’ plant spokesman Buddy Eller said in a phone call about the reactors.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;That the nuclear plant is just fine seemed to irk anti-nuclear groups who don’t want to see nuclear ever performing well, even if it helps the storm-wracked people of south Texas when other power sources are failing.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;Three watchdog groups, the Sustainable Energy &a;amp; Economic Development coalition (SEED), the South Texas Association for Responsible Energy and Beyond Nuclear recklessly urged politicians, the owners, and regulators to shut down the plant because of Harvey, even if it hurt residents, emergency workers and hospitals who desperately need that power.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;But the regulators and the State would have none of that nonsense, understanding that these groups just peddle fear. The reactors provide 2,700 MW of power to 2,000,000 customers in the area.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff are at the plant, constantly assessing the situation and safety aspects. ‘The South Texas Project reactors have been operating safely throughout Harvey and continue to do so,’ NRC spokesman Scott Burnell said.&l;span&g;&a;nbsp;The reactors can be shut down quickly if something develops, but that’s not expected to be necessary.&l;/span&g;&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;Two-hundred and fifty storm crew workers, along with regulators, were running the plant and were set up with sleeping arrangements, food and water to weather the storm no matter how long it took. None of them were afraid, knowing how safe the reactors are.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;No other industry was as prepared.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;According to the online news source &l;a href=\&q;http://nawindpower.com/checking-texas-wind-farms-path-harvey\&q; target=\&q;_blank\&q; rel=\&q;nofollow\&q;&g;North American Wind Power&l;/a&g;, one large wind installation in the path of the storm sent all 39 workers home as the hurricane closed in, but operated remotely until the wind hit 55 mph. It then shut down automatically like all farms when wind speeds exceed their design limits. Most wind farms have not sustained much damage, but getting them back to capacity will be difficult.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;The Nuclear Regulatory Commission also said Harvey does not pose a threat to the Waterford Nuclear Power Plant in New Orleans and the River Bend Plant near Baton Rouge.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;We’ve seen this before. Last summer, a &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2016/07/28/americas-heat-wave-no-sweat-for-nuclear-power/#757e2a91163c\&q; target=\&q;_self\&q;&g;heat wave cooked America&l;/a&g; with extreme temperatures, affecting most energy production as well as causing fires and water shortages, sucking electricity like crazy to power the cooling necessary to avoid discomfort and even death. According to the National Weather Service, 122 million Americans were under heat alerts.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;Fortunately, nuclear power didn’t mind, scoring record capacity factors of 96% and up, with no increase in price. Other energy sources did not fare so well and some gas plants gouged consumers just because they could.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;In 2014, a &l;a href=\&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2014/01/12/polar-vortex-nuclear-saves-the-day/#490f1cac6b08\&q; target=\&q;_self\&q;&g;Polar Vortex shut down natural gas and coal plants&l;/a&g;, and stopped wind turbines and solar generation. But nuclear performed wonderfully and provided more power to the hard-hit northeast than any other source.&l;/p&g; \n&l;p&g;Whether it’s hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, heat waves or severe cold, nuclear performs more reliably than anything else. 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