NRC Issues Report on Indian Point 3 License Renewal

A day after a federal panel finished hearing testimony about the safety of Indian Point, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a statement on Entergy’s commitments to safety at the nuclear power plant if its licenses are renewed.

“The NRC has determined that the processes are being properly implemented and the commitments reviewed have been appropriately implemented. Overall, there were no areas of concern identified,” officials said in a statement released Friday afternoon.

The initial 40-year operating license for the Indian Point Unit 3 nuclear power plant will expire at midnight on Dec. 12. (The initial operating license for Indian Point Unit 2 expired on Sept. 28, 2013.) Under the “timely renewal” provision of NRC regulations, both units are allowed to continue to operate until the review of the plant’s license renewal application is completed. There is no exact timeframe at this point for when that will occur given that a hearing on the application is continuing. In addition, there have been appeals of decisions rendered by the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) panel conducting the hearing, with more likely.

In conjunction with Indian Point Unit 3 soon entering the Period of Extended Operations, we have completed inspections in accordance with our Reactor Oversight Process to determine whether Entergy has appropriately carried out license renewal commitments at Indian Point Unit 3. (Prior to this inspection the NRC conducted three separate license renewal inspections that have reviewed a total of 44 license renewal commitments.) The report documenting the results of the most recent inspection, which was performed last month, is attached. The inspection assessed Entergy’s activities related to updating the license renewal application; identification process for new equipment that may be subject to license renewal requirements; update of the Indian Point final safety analysis report; and the implementation of several commitments to manage the effects of aging on specific equipment. The NRC has determined that the processes are being properly implemented and the commitments reviewed have been appropriately implemented. Overall, there were no areas of concern identified.

Going forward, baseline inspections will provide the NRC with an opportunity to sample the company’s ongoing implementation of the commitments.

Another component of the NRC’s review ended Thursday.

The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board wrapped up the hearing after hearing testimony on three safety-related challenges to the nuclear power plant’s license renewal application. They were brought by Riverkeeper and the State of New York and primarily addressed issues of the aging plant’s aging equipment and systems.

Entergy officials say the company has demonstrated it has comprehensive plans to manage the effects of 20 years of continued operation on equipment including electrical cables and underground piping.

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PHOTO: Indian Point Energy Center