Indian Point: Contamination, Investigations Continue

Entergy reports that the tritium levels in the groundwater monitoring wells have returned to the original concentrations discovered in the first round of sampling.

“We expect these fluctuations in tritium concentrations to continue – both increasing and decreasing - with the migration of the water underneath the facility,” said Entergy spokeswoman Patricia Kakridas Monday.

Last week, when Entergy reported that onsite groundwater monitoring wells showed elevated levels of tritium from the first readings – with the highest concentration rising by about 80 percent -- New York officials decided to integrate their investigations into the nuclear power plant’s operations and also questioned the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

“The trends of unexpected outages and environmental incidents like these are extremely disconcerting,” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in a prepared statement Feb. 10.

Entergy has set up an information line for the public to call to hear details on the tritium found in groundwater at Indian Point and what they believe to be the source. To contact the Indian Point Groundwater Monitoring Informational Recording, call 1-800-472-6372.

These tritium concentrations do not pose a health or safety consequence to the public, the workers at Indian Point, or to aquatic life in the Hudson River and they have no effect on any sources of drinking water, Entergy officials said, pointing out that even the highest values were less than one-tenth of one percent of federal reporting guidelines, and that Entergy had again made voluntary notification to the NRC, state agencies and other key stakeholders.

Rep. Nita Lowey (Westchester/Rockland) questioned NRC Chairman Stephen Burns about the recent tritium leak during a Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearing before a House Appropriations Subcommittee.

“This is the third time since 2005 that we know of, that tritium has leaked into groundwater at Indian Point,” she told him. “Though contamination has not spread to the Hudson River and does not seem to pose an immediate threat to public health, it’s clear that this incident requires a full and thorough investigation. And based on the many problems at Indian Point, and what seems to be poor oversight on the part of the NRC, it seems the NRC is not adequately prioritizing public health and safety.”

In his answer, Burns pointed out that the contamination was in an amount that was actually below the threshold reporting limits, but Entergy reported it anyway.

Tritium is a weak radioactive isotope of hydrogen. To learn more about tritium, click here.

Entergy officials said that they continue to investigate the source of the elevated tritium concentrations, assisted by outside third-party experts.

The likely cause is related to the processing of water in preparation for a regularly scheduled refueling outage at the plant’s Unit 2 reactor, Entergy said. Workers are inspecting the pump and drainage systems associated with those recent preparations, which were completed in January, to determine the most likely pathway for that water to have reached the ground.

Lowey also asked about a sump pump that hasn’t been operational since 2014.

Environmental groups said Entergy had problems not only at Indian Point but at its FitzPatrick plant in Oswego, NY.

“Entergy’s mismanagement of nuclear power plants has never been confined to Indian Point,” said Tim Judson, Executive Director of national Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS). “FitzPatrick has long posed very serious nuclear safety threats, and the violations revealed today demonstrate Entergy’s systemic mismanagement and reckless disregard for safety. New York should embrace Entergy’s decision to close the plant, and not force New Yorkers to spend potentially billions of dollars propping up this old, dirty, and dangerous reactor.”

The NRC categorized all of the findings at FitzPatrick as having a low safety significance because the risks did not result in an accident or radiation exposure.

“The NRC always lets nuclear operators off the hook, even when their failures increase the risks of an accident. As long as no accident actually occurs, all is forgiven and forgotten,” said Jessica Azulay, Program Director of the Alliance for a Green Economy, a Syracuse-based organization that has been watchdogging FitzPatrick for four years. “But for those of us living in the shadow of this aging and dangerous reactor, we will not forgive or forget until this reactor is shut down and we are truly safe. We in Upstate New York deserve the same protection and level of concern as those living downstate when it comes to the nuclear threats in our region.”

Entergy has announced its intentions to shutter FitzPatrick, due to an inability to turn a profit at the plant, and is seeking relicensing for reactors 2 and 3 at Indian Point. The decision infuriated Cuomo, who wants FitzPatrick to remain open and Indian Point to close. State officials are working on ways to keep FitzPatrick open.

Here’s the governor’s entire statement:

Entergy reported that the level of radioactive tritium-contaminated water that leaked into groundwater at the Indian Point Nuclear facility last week has increased by 80 percent since the initial report. Last week the company reported alarming levels of radioactivity at three monitoring wells, with one well’s radioactivity increasing nearly 65,000 percent.

“The trends of unexpected outages and environmental incidents like these are extremely disconcerting. On February 6, I directed the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health to investigate the cause of the radioactive leak. Operational problems at Indian Point have been under investigation by the Department of Public Service since my directive in December 2015.

“Today, I have further directed that the three agencies integrate their investigations to thoroughly explore whether the operational problems that are suspected to have caused the uptick in unexpected outages of the plant may also be causing the leak of radioactive water into the environment. Representatives from the Department of Health, Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Public Service will be onsite as part of these investigations.”

The Governor’s letter directing CEO Zibelman, Acting Commissioner Seggos and Commissioner Zucker to coordinate their investigations can be viewed here. The text of that letter is also available below:

Dear CEO Zibelman and Commissioners Zucker and Seggos:

Once again, we have received a troubling report from the Entergy Indian Point Energy Center (Indian Point) of increased levels of radioactivity in groundwater at the site. The levels of radioactivity reported last week are significantly higher than in past incidents, with one of the monitoring wells having increased nearly 65,000 percent from 12,300 picocuries per liter to over 8,000,000 picocuries per liter. Today, that same well is registering a radioactivity level of 14,800,000 picocuries per liter, an 80 percent increase since February 5.

Our first concern will always remain the health and safety of the residents close to the facility and ensuring the groundwater leak does not pose a threat. Information provided through the Department of Public Service’s ongoing investigation into operational problems at the plant may prove useful in the investigation of the radioactive leak into the environment; similarly, findings from the environmental problems at the plant may prove useful to the DPS investigation. Therefore, I direct the investigative teams to immediately share all information obtained to date, and integrate the State’s ongoing investigations.

I understand your agencies are working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to investigate this serious matter and are scheduled to conduct an on-site investigation tomorrow, February 11th, 2015 to determine the cause and potential impacts to the environment and public health.

Please report back at your earliest convenience the findings of your investigation.

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