Hurricane Florence Heads for Duke Energy’s Nuclear Reactors
- Brunswick plant built to withstand high winds, ocean surge
- Regionally, at least nine nuclear plants may face shutdowns
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Hurricane Florence is now headed straight for Duke Energy Corp.’s Brunswick nuclear plant on North Carolina’s southern coast. Company officials say they’re ready; industry foes aren’t so sure.
Brunswick’s two reactors, located near the town of Southport, were built to withstand Category 5 winds exceeding 156 miles (251 kilometers) per hour, according to Karen Williams, a Duke spokeswoman. They sit 20 feet above sea level and four miles inland, she said, suggesting they’re resistant to even the 13-foot ocean surge forecast for Florence.