NRC Sending Radiation Specialist to Indian Point

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will assess the problem at Indian Point that caused tritium-contaminated water to contaminate the groundwater at the nuclear power plant in Buchanan.

“The NRC will be sending a radiation protection specialist to the Indian Point nuclear power plant this week to review the recent tritium leakage incident,” said spokesman Neil Sheehan. “He will be independently assessing what occurred and learning more about Entergy’s investigation into the event. Our three on-site Resident Inspectors will be available to assist him and we can also tap other expertise within the agency on groundwater contamination. At this point, there are no impacts on the public or plant workers.”

There is no health threat to the public, Entergy said this weekend.

“While elevated tritium in the ground onsite is not in accordance with our standards, there is no health or safety consequence to the public, and releases are more than a thousand times below federal permissible limits. The tritium did not affect any source of drinking water onsite or offsite,” the company said, noting that it made voluntary notification to the NRC, state agencies and key stakeholders.

Local health and safety was the most important thing, said U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer in a statement.

He said he also asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to determine why a pump was not working, how far the contamination spread, and how to prevent future spills.

The incident caused Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee (D-Pearl River) to renew her opposition to the relicensing of the plant.

“This release of radioactive water, not the first release, nor the first time Entergy’s operation and maintenance has failed, only underscores the fact that Indian Point cannot continue to operate as it has without a full and thorough investigation of this incident,” she said. “I will be in contact with the appropriate state agencies regarding these serious issues and I will continue to express my vocal opposition to the re-licensing of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant.“

She applaud Gov. Andrew Cuomo for directing Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Basil Seggos and Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker to fully investigate the incident.

Cuomo announced the leak Saturday night.

The governor, who has long fought to have the nuclear power plant shut down, cited “alarming levels of radioactivity” found at three monitoring wells.

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• UPDATE: Radioactive Water Leak at Indian Point