Dangerous Indian Point plant must be shut down immediately
February 8, 2016
Riverkeeper Team
Photo: Rob Friedman / Riverkeeper
For Immediate Release: February 8, 2016
Contact: Cliff Weathers, Communications Director, (914) 478-4501 ext. 239
The latest in a string of malfunctions at the Indian Point nuclear power plant has prompted a renewed, urgent call from Riverkeeper for the aging plant to be permanently shut down – particularly while two state investigations are under way.
Over the weekend, Entergy reported a severe spike in radioactive, tritium-contaminated water leaked into the groundwater at the facility. This is the seventh alarming incident at the aging plant in as many months. Alarming levels of radioactivity were reported at three Indian Point monitoring wells, including one where levels rose 65,000 percent from 12,300 picocuries per liter to over 8 million picocuries per liter.
Riverkeeper President Paul Gallay issued this statement following this weekend’s disturbing news:
“Since May 2015, Indian Point has suffered seven major malfunctions, from pump failures to transformer explosions, to radiation leaks, power failures, fires and oil spills. In December, Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered a full investigation, and he now warns that all these accidents demonstrate that Indian Point can no longer operate safely. Indian Point should be closed pending completion of the Governor's investigations.”
“Who knows what’s going to happen next?” concludes Gallay.
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Riverkeeper is a member-supported watchdog organization dedicated to defending the Hudson River and its tributaries and protecting the drinking water supply of nine million New York City and Hudson Valley residents.
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