Scrutinize Pipeline Past Nuclear Plant: Long-Awaited State Report

CORTLANDT, NY — New York officials have asked the Federal Regulatory Commission to take extra action on Algonquin Pipeline projects to minimize risks and protect public safety near the Indian Point nuclear plants. The report focuses on two things: the flow of still more natural gas at still higher pressures, and the plants' upcoming decommissioning.

The state's request to the federal agency with regulatory authority over interstate gas pipelines comes out of a risk assessment commissioned in February 2016 — after years of protests by neighbors and concerns from local officials — and partially publicized June 22 by the New York Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and the departments of Public Service, Environmental Conservation, and Health.

The AIM expansion project next to Indian Point was completed by the pipeline's owner, Spectra Energy (now merged with Enbridge), a year ago. It is one of several projects meant to widen the pipeline through New York into New England and Canada.

“Our consultant’s assessment informs logical next steps that must be taken by FERC to reduce the risk profile of Algonquin’s natural gas pipelines in the vicinity of Indian Point, and has identified areas that require further review," the agencies said in their letter to FERC. "While the probability of pipeline incidents is low, the proximity to the Indian Point nuclear plant makes the potential consequences of such an event very significant. Additional scrutiny and monitoring to better understand and reduce risks associated with the Algonquin pipelines is warranted. FERC must engage in further action to mitigate and investigate potential risks.”

Reaction to the report was mostly frustrated from community members who have been fighting the pipeline for years, and patience from the company that operates it.

"The Algonquin Gas Transmission (“Algonquin”) pipeline system has been operating safely in the area for more than 60 years providing clean, reliable, domestic natural gas to heat homes and businesses," said spokeswoman Marylee Hanley in an email to Patch. "The Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) Project facilities were designed and constructed and are operated and maintained to meet or exceed federal safety standards and regulations."

Meanwhile foes of the pipeline expansion gathered at a fundraiser where Gov. Andrew Cuomo was scheduled to appear, to demand he shut the pipeline down.

“Given what the Risk Assessment says, it is incumbent upon the Governor to direct the Public Service Commission to use its authority under PHMSA (Pipeline Hazardous Materials and Safety Administration) to turn off the AIM Pipeline and do a proper safety and risk assessment without residents living daily with the potential danger of fracked gas under the plant,” said Nancy Vann, a local resident and co-founder of the Safe Energy Rights Group.

The state's report identifies areas of potential concern that should be used to inform regulatory activities designed to further reduce the risk profile during the remaining operating life of Indian Point, scheduled to close by 2022. In addition, they're concerned about the transfer of spent nuclear fuel to dry cask storage, and decommissioning activities, state officials said.

In the letter, the state agencies called upon FERC to take the following immediate steps:

• FERC should not allow any additional natural gas capacity on the Algonquin pipelines. Given high demand in the Northeast for additional natural gas capacity, and the large diameter of the Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) pipeline near Indian Point, there is potential that pipeline owner Enbridge, Inc. may request approval to send additional gas over the pipeline at higher pressures. The safety analyses relied upon by FERC when approving the AIM project were based on current maximum operating pressures on the pipeline. The State has remaining questions about the safety assessments of AIM and the original Algonquinpipelines, and it is important to not increase the risk profile of the pipelines while questions remain and Indian Point is still operational.

• FERC should require regular testing of Enbridge’s ability to remotely close valves on the 42-inch, 30-inch, and 26-inch pipelines in the vicinity of Indian Point within three minutes of an event. This valve closure time was noted by FERC when it approved the AIM pipeline, but it must be regularly confirmed for all three pipeline segments, the original Algonquin pipelines and the AIM pipeline.

• FERC must work with NRC to coordinate a review of Indian Point-owner Entergy Corp.’s decommissioning plan when filed to determine potential impacts to the original Algonquin pipelines and the AIM pipeline. Given the heavy excavator work that will be part of decommissioning, FERC may need to require Enbridge to temporarily cease gas operations during the decommissioning activities that may threaten the pipeline integrity.

They also recommended more regular communications between Enbridge and Entergy, the owner of Indian Point, on incident prevention activities and emergency preparedness.

Meanwhile officials at the state Department of Public Service, delegated by the federal government to ensure compliance with federal gas pipeline safety standards, said they have already enhanced monitoring of the pipelines in the vicinity of Indian Point.

The agencies' letter also called on FERC to re-evaluate whether the NRC and Entergy analyses relied on by FERC during the review of the AIM project were sufficient. They may not have fully considered all necessary and appropriate factors, including for example the different design characteristics of the buildings housing the spent nuclear fuel cooling pools, state officials said.

The report was done by HDR Engineering, Inc., which assessed the potential risks of pipeline incidents in the vicinity of Indian Point.

It concludes that the upcoming closure of Indian Point’s nuclear reactors and the removal of spent nuclear fuel from the spent fuel pools to on-site dry cask storage will reduce the risks related to a potential pipeline incident. Since it discusses critical infrastructure and the risk profiles of collocated gas pipelines and nuclear power reactors, the agencies requested that FERC protect the confidential nature of the complete study.

PHOTO/ Entergy