Safety Concerns Might Mean Shutdown For Indian Point
BUCHANAN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - A local nuclear power plant faces a possible shutdown after officials and activists have expressed fear over the facility's operations.
WCBS 880's Sean Adams On The Story
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It all boils down to safety and health.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo thinks the Indian Point Engery Center is simply too great a risk, WCBS 880's Sean Adams reported. 19 million people live near Indian Point, which is 40 miles north of Midtown Manhattan.
New York State officials and environmental groups will tell a three judge panel they can't afford to have a Fukushima on the Hudson.
They'll say it at re-licensing hearings before an independent arm of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
"This plant was never meant to go beyond its 40-year license," Riverkeeper President Paul Gallay told WCBS 880 reporter Sean Adams. "Everybody assumed that there would be a new generation of nuke plants. That hasn't happened."
He said the reactors have many problems.
"Erosion of pipes and reactor components due to age. Potential impacts of a severe accident. Problems with electric cables," he said.
Officials from Entergy, which runs the plant, will testify the two reactors are safe, reliable, and critical, as they supply a quarter of New York City and Westchester County's electricity.
They will say the reactors should operate another 20 years. They say that without Indian Point, energy costs would go up.
One of Riverkeeper's issues was tentatively settled Monday morning.
A Riverkeeper official says that if judges approve, it will withdraw its contention about the environmental impact of leaks from the spent fuel pool at Indian Point.
He says that in exchange, Entergy will establish a third sampling station in the Hudson River. He says Entergy will also post sampling data on a public website.
These re-licensing hearings before the NRC will run through December.
How do you feel about the operation of Indian Point? Do you feel safe? Should it be allowed to continue? Sound off below.
