Virginia Reactors Could Provide Lessons on Nuclear Safety in a Quake

on September 9, 2011

For decades no U.S. nuclear reactor had ever experienced a earthquake that exceeded what the plant was designed to withstand. That changed on Aug. 23 with the 5.8-magnitude quake that rattled much of the East Coast. Its epicenter was no more than 12 miles south of the North Anna nuclear power station on the shores of Lake Anna in central Virginia.
“Earthquakes aren’t supposed to happen here,” said Jorge Bermudez, a control room supervisor who was on duty when the quake struck.
Yet North Anna became the first nuclear plant to shut down after an earthquake in the 53-year history of commercial nuclear power in the U.S.