Indian Point Safety to Remain Top Priority for Entergy
The owners of the Indian Point nuclear power plants in Buchanan have vowed to ensure the safety of the facility if an additional 20-year license is approved.
During an appearance before a three-judge panel of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board in Tarrytown two weeks ago, Entergy officials maintained their legally enforceable commitments to safely operating the 40-year-old plants were based on state-of-the-art science.
“Indian Point has operated safely for more than 40 years, delivering enormous benefits such as reliable price-stable and non-greenhouse gas emitting power generation, day in and day out,” said Fred Dacimo, vice president of operations license renewal for Entergy. “The fact that Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has spent 37,000 hours over eight years reviewing and inspecting Indian Point’s application should be reassuring to everyone that all aspects of the license renewal process have been thoroughly examined, and that the facility will continue to operate at the highest levels of safety and reliability.”
In September 2013, Indian Point Unit 2 began operating under Timely Renewal, which extends the initial 40-year license while the license process continues for at least several more years until the NRC makes a final determination. Indian Point Unit 3 will begin its Timely Renewal period on December 13 when its current license expires.
Indian Point supplies about 25 percent of Westchester County and New York City’s electricity, and 11 percent of New York State’s power. Approximately 1,000 people are employed at the plants, which, according to Entergy, directly and indirectly generate $1.6 billion annually.
The NRC has already issued a report concluding there is nothing to preclude Indian Point from safely functioning for the next 20 years. A Final Environmental Impact Statement issued by the NRC also determined there were no environmental issues preventing license renewal.
However, Entergy does face some hurdles with the New York Department of State, which earlier this month filed an objection to Entergy’s request for a Coastal Consistency Determination, an objection that could potentially hold up a new license.
In the objection, Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has long called for the closure of Indian Point, highlighted many concerns about the facility, including the intake of 2.5 billion gallons of water per day for cooling, which kills aquatic life in the Hudson River; a history of operational accidents; the proximity of the plants to a heavily populated area; and the risk of catastrophic events due to flooding.
While the NRC holds regulatory control over nuclear power plants, the State of New York permits the plant’s use of the river and can withhold or limit the permission to operate based on water quality concerns.
The state’s position has been backed up by Riverkeeper. “We’re satisfied with the Department of State’s thorough evaluation of the impacts, and risks regarding Indian Point, and ultimate finding that a coastal consistency determination for the plant is simply inappropriate,” said Riverkeeper Staff Attorney Deborah Brancato.
U.S. Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) also supported the New York Department of State’s assessment of the Indian Point Energy Center.
“This latest Indian Point assessment has shown yet again that this facility just doesn’t make sense for the community and the surrounding environment,” Maloney stated. “I appreciate the steps that the New York Department of State has taken to ensure the safety of folks living near Indian Point. It’s time we focus our efforts winding down Indian Point and get serious about replacing it with a source of energy production that will create and preserve jobs while reducing the risks to our neighbors and our wildlife.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/