Report calls for nuclear power plant safety measures to consider future weather threats WPXI [Video]

WASHINGTON — From intense storms in the southeast, to the spread of wildfires in the west, severe weather events have left behind a trail of damage from coast to coast.

Those weather threats can also put our energy systems at risk. That includes nuclear power plants, which generate about 20 percent of electricity in the U.S.

Now, a new watchdog report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is warning about the need for increased safety measures to protect nuclear power plants against potential future weather threats.

“We’re expecting a lot of changes in weather like increased heat, perhaps increased flooding, stronger storms, sea level rise,” said Frank Rusco, a Director for GAO. “Pretty much all of the nuclear power plants in the country are in zones that should expect changes in that way.”

The report points to the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan as an example of the damage severe weather can cause. A …