TVA says 6 reactors not in earthquake-prone region

TVA says 6 reactors not in earthquake-prone region

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee Valley Authority executives say the utility's six reactors in East Tennessee and North Alabama are in areas "not prone to frequent or extremely large earthquakes" and have numerous safety features.

TVA has two reactors at its Sequoyah Nuclear Plant near Chattanooga, one reactor and another under construction at Watts Bar in Spring City and three at its Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant at Athens, Ala.

A TVA statement says its reactors are designed, built and operated to withstand an earthquake of larger magnitude than any recorded in the region.

The plants are built with safety systems to ensure safe shutdown in any event similar to the earthquake in Japan.

The TVA statement Sunday also expressed deep sorrow over loss of life and damage to property during the earthquake in Japan.

In other news, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who has urged the United States to build 100 more nuclear reactors, said that the meltdown at the Fukushima plant in Japan shouldn't lead America to foreclose future nuclear plants.

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