NPR airs balanced story on flooding of Nebraska nukes

NPR's coverage of nuclear power issues -- and its lack thereof -- has left a lot to be desired for a very long time, including regarding the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear catastrophe. But a current story about the severe flooding at Fort Calhoun and Cooper nuclear power plants on the Missouri River at least contained input from a nuclear power critic, Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen, for a pleasant change. Slocum pointed out that the cozy relationship between industry and regulator undermines safety, and that nuclear establishments around the world are often very confident in their ability to handle whatever Mother Nature can throw at them -- until reality shows they can't. NPR reporter Robyn Wisch also included an Omaha Public Power District spokesman bragging about the ability of OPPD's Aqua Dam to keep sensitive areas dry -- then pointed out that that very Aqua Dam had suffered a major failure just as NRC Chairman Greg Jaczko was about to arrive for a tour of the plant. The Aqua Dam's collapse allowed floodwaters to lap up against the reactor containment, as well as auxiliary buildings housing vital -- and vulnerable -- emergency diesel generators.