The Sound Of Gunfire: 2 Indian Point Security Drills Planned

CORTLANDT, NY — Twice in the next seven days, Entergy will conduct security drills at the Indian Point Energy Center during the evening. During the drills, people near the site may hear the sound of simulated gunfire as participants carry out the activities.

The drills will be held Oct. 10 and 15. Local law enforcement has been notified.

The participants will use a technical innovation for the drills known as “MILES” gear, or Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement Systems, an Entergy spokeswoman said. These systems involve the use of laser “bullets” and vests with laser-detection equipment, which duplicate the effects, including the sound of live ammunition. MILES gear is used for military and counter-terrorism training across the country to make it as realistic as possible without using real bullets.

Indian Point Energy Center, in Buchanan, is closing its two operating nuclear power plants, Unit 2 and Unit 3, which generate approximately 2000 megawatts of electricity for homes, business and public facilities in New York City and Westchester County. The plants are in the process of being sold to Holtec International, which handles the decommissioning of nuclear plants and storage of radioactive spent fuel rods.

Entergy announced its plan for the shutdown of Indian Point Energy Center as part of a settlement of lawsuits with New York State and Riverkeeper. In exchange, New York State agreed to drop its legal challenges and support renewal of the operating licenses for the facility. Entergy agreed to permanently cease operations at Indian Point 2 by April 30, 2020 and Indian Point 3 by April 30, 2021.

As of April 2019, Holtec plans to transfer all of the used nuclear fuel to its dry fuel storage cask systems to be stored on reinforced concrete pads in Buchanan. They will remain under guard, monitored during shutdown and decommissioning, and subject to the NRC's oversight, company Entergy said, "until the U.S. Department of Energy removes it in accordance with its legal obligations, or until Holtec's proposed Consolidated Interim Storage (CIS) facility in New Mexico, named HI-STORE CIS, is ready to begin accepting used fuel from across the country."