Indian Point Relicensed; Closing Still Set

CORTLANDT, NY — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved license extensions for the Indian Point 2 and 3 nuclear power plants. NRC staff determined Entergy can adequately manage the effects of aging on the plants to support safe operation, said spokesman Neil Sheehan.

New York Affordable Electricity Alliance Chairman Arthur “Jerry” Kremer applauded the NRC's decision.

“This allows the state to make progress on its future power portfolio with confidence about this plant’s continued safe operations," Kremer said, adding that the relicensing "would not be possible without the dedicated work of the men and women who operate the plant safely every day and who have maintained a stellar safety record year after year.”

In other Indian Point news, Unit 3 returned to service Monday morning. It had been taken out of service to deal with a small leak in a boron-infused water coolant line.

Entergy's initial license renewal application, submitted to the NRC in 2007, sought 20-year extensions for Units 2 and 3.

Under the settlement agreement between the state and Entergy, the company agreed to modify its extension request to no later than April 30, 2024, for Indian Point 2 and no later than April 30, 2025 for Indian Point 3.

In actuality, Entergy agreed to permanently cease operations at Indian Point 2 by April 30, 2020 and Indian Point 3 by April 30, 2021. But, Sheehan said, the additional time was to be included in case the state “determines that an emergency exists by reason of war, terrorism, a sudden increase in the demand for electric energy, or a sudden shortage of electric energy or of facilities for the generation or transmission of electric energy.”

The NRC has done supplemental evaluations — after all, the application for relicensing was submitted 10 years ago. On Aug. 1, the NRC staff issued its third supplemental to its Safety Evaluation Report for the application.

Background: Entergy applied to the NRC on April 23, 2007 for 20-year license extensions for the Indian Point 2 and 3 nuclear power plants. Subsequently, the previously granted 40-year operating licenses for the reactors expired on Sept. 28. 2013 and Dec. 12, 2015, respectively. However, the plants were permitted to remain online under the “timely renewal” provision of NRC regulations, which states that plants can continue to operate until NRC reviews of license renewal applications are completed.

The NRC completed safety and environmental reviews of the application. The safety evaluation was completed on Nov. 30, 2009 while an environmental impact statement was issued on Dec. 3, 2010.

PHOTO: Indian Point/ courtesy Entergy