NRC Extends Indian Point License Hearing Again

PEEKSKILL, — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted another extension in the Indian Point license renewal hearing, and the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board panel handling the proceeding is also asking Entergy whether it delayed providing information on the results of lab testing on degraded baffle-former bolts removed from Indian Point 2.

The extension came because New York State and Riverkeeper requested it, to give their experts more time to analyse the test results on the bad bolts.

The question came because New York State sent the NRC a letter Oct. 21 complaining that Entergy was not sharing test results. As the NRC put it in its Nov. 2 order granting the extension, New York officials alleged "that according to the disclosure log provided by Entergy, the results summary report for the first round of hot cell examination was prepared in July 2016, but was not disclosed to any other party until October, on the same day the Board was notified by Entergy that hot cell testing 'ha[d] been conducted.' New York also stated that other relevant disclosures from Entergy have been delayed."

"The Board finds this news very disconcerting," the ASLB wrote.

An Entergy spokeswoman said that Entergy had disclosed available preliminary results even though the state and Riverkeeper had agreed years ago that draft documents need not be disclosed.

Entergy expanded its baffle bolt test plan to ensure a thorough and complete understanding of the contributors to the Unit 2 bolt failures identified earlier this year, and the results of that expanded testing are expected later this month. But to ensure all parties were fully informed of current status in the interim, Entergy disclosed available preliminary and partial draft bolt test results in the interim, even though the parties to this proceeding – including New York State and Riverkeeper – agreed, and the ASLB approved in 2009 that draft documents need not be disclosed to the parties. Therefore, Entergy has fully met its obligations in this proceeding and will respond to the ASLB accordingly.

SEE:

• Problem Inside Indian Point 2 Reactor: Bad Bolts
• Atomic Licensing Board Delays Indian Point Renewal Process