Where there was black smoke in the turbine building there was fire
that shut down a nuclear plant Friday.
It’s still down today, with no estimate on uptime.
This is after Callaway was shut down most of April and May due to
an electrical fault that “injured or affected” four people.
It’s only been up most of 4 months out of the past 6.
Not so reliable, this baseload nuclear, is it?

Margaret Gillerman wrote for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch 27 July 2013,

Callaway nuclear plant shut down after a small fire,

FULTON, MO. • Callaway County’s nuclear plant has been shut down
since shortly before midnight Friday when a small fire broke out in
the turbine building, authorities said.

No one was injured.

“No personnel were hurt, and no radioactivity was
released” above normal operating limits, Barry Cox, senior
director of nuclear operations at Callaway, said Saturday. Cox said
the fire was in the “non-nuclear” side of the plant.

The plant — officially called the Ameren Missouri Callaway
Energy Center — declared an “unusual event” at
11:49 p.m. Friday.

The fire was discovered immediately when alarms sounded in the
control room. There also were reports of black smoke, Cox said.

Within minutes, the fire was extinguished, Cox said. The plant was
shut down as part of established multiple safety layers and
procedures.

“It was not such a large fire that we had to call for
assistance from outside sources or evacuate anyone,” Cox said.
No one was working in the turbine room at the time, he said.

Tim Logan wrote for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch 28 July 2013,

Callaway County nuclear plant remains offline after fire,

Ameren’s Callaway County nuclear plant will remain closed for
several days as workers from the electric utility perform tests and
repair damage after a small fire Friday night.

Cleveland Reasoner, vice president of engineering for Ameren, said
crews are taking apart and checking electrical equipment in the area
of the fire—which was in the “non-nuclear” power-generation
side of the facility—and that the plant would remain offline
until their work is through.

“We can’t discuss exact timelines but it will be several days,”
Reasoner said.

And back on 2 April 2013

NRC event #48879:

OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAULT IN SWITCHYARD RESULTING
IN PERSONNEL INJURIES

“At 1707 CDT on 4/2/13 an arc flash occurred at the ‘B’ safeguards
transformer (XMDV24) in the plant switchyard at Callaway. At the
time of the flash, ground straps were being placed on the ‘B’
safeguards transformer which had been removed from service for
maintenance. The event resulted in a loss of power to
areas/buildings outside the power block. There was no impact to
equipment and systems in the plant.

“Four workers were injured or affected by the flash. The extent of
the electrical-related injuries has not been determined. However,
based on reports from the scene, all of the workers were conscious
and walked away from the scene. One person was transported by
helicopter and two by ambulance to a local hospital. The fourth
person experienced only a minor injury.

“The hazard has been isolated and investigation of the cause is in
progress.

“Notifications of this event are planned to be made to OSHA and the
Missouri Public Service Commission.”

The licensee notified the NRC Resident Inspector.

* * * UPDATE FROM ROB STOUGH TO VINCE KLCO AT 1955 EDT ON 4/4/2013 *
* *

“Ameren Missouri issued a press release about the event described
above at approximately 1507 CDT on April 4, 2013.

“The NRC Resident Inspector was notified.”

Notified the R4DO (Kellar).

Ameren press release 4 April 2013:

Ameren: Mo. Nuclear Plant ‘Operating Safely’ In Wake Of Accident.

The next day Don Norfleet wrote for NewsTribune.com,

Callaway Nuclear Plant to shut down next week:
Output to resume after refueling,

The Callaway Energy Center owned by Ameren Missouri will shut down
the nuclear reactor at the facility next week to start the plant’s
normal refueling process.

Some contract workers at the plant were injured Tuesday during what
Ameren Missouri is describing as an “electrical flash”
in a switchyard located about 300 yards from the nuclear reactor.

The shutdown of the plant was scheduled before Tuesday’s accident.
The injured workers were employed by another firm hired by Ameren
working at the plant prior to the normal shutdown for refueling and
maintenance.

Ameren Missouri announced Thursday a fourth person was injured in
the incident while attempting to assist the three others impacted by
the flash.

Sure, the shutdown had nothing to do with the electrical fault.
Refueling shutdowns always take two months, right?

Whatever the cause, Ameren’s Callaway has been down two months
out of the last six.
That’s much closer to 66.66% reliability than 99.99%, isn’t it?

-jsq