Entergy Files Comments on Algonquin Pipeline Expansion Project

Entergy sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Sept. 29 laying out safety and regulatory issues facing the Indian Point nuclear power plants in Spectra Energy’s proposal to expand its gas pipeline through Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties on its way to northern markets and ports for export abroad.

Algonquin’s existing pipeline system uses an easement for three pipelines that cross the Hudson River on Indian Point property.

After Spectra Energy proposed its first of two expansion projects, Entergy did an analysis and concluded that using the northernmost of those easements would cause a potential hazard to Indian Point.

Since then, the letter says, Spectra and Entergy have been working together and have reached agreement on a route past Indian Point that’s further south, as well as design and construction measures to increase safety margins. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was at the plant in September reviewing that analysis and conclusion.

Entergy points out in its letter that repeated reviews by the Nuclear Regulatory Commisson in past years have concluded that the existing pipelines do not adversely affect the safety and security of the plant.

“Entergy strongly advocates that prior to acting on Algonquin’s Certificate Application for the AIM Project, FERC must confer with the NRC regarding the results of NRC’s review of Entergy’s 10 Safety Evaluation and supporting Hazards Analyses in order to become fully informed as to whether any additional mitigation is determined by NRC to be necessary for the segment of
piping routed near IPEC.”

Entergy officials said in the letter they expect the NRC’s review to be done before publication of the Final EIS for the AIM Project, currently scheduled for Dec. 19.