Shaken, not stirred - nuclear power plants in state, built to withstand wind storms, earthquakes

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High winds shut down a nuclear plant in Michigan over the weekend, but energy officials were quick to point out that all U.S. nuclear plants, including the two in Minnesota, are built to withstand just about anything nature can throw at them.

Although “shutdown” is often treated by the public as synonymous with “broken,” a nuclear power plant shutdown almost always means that safety equipment designed to automatically stop a nuclear reactor from over-heating is working.

“There is a design requirement that you be able to safely shut down in case of a tornado,” said Terry Pickens, director, nuclear regulatory policy for Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy, which operates nuclear plants in Monticello and Red Wing.