TIMES UNION 04/10/16
By Michael Shank and Paul Gallay
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s concerns about Indian Point are centered solely on providing public safety and sustainable energy. This is not about politics; it’s about admitting that the risk of an accident at the nuclear power plant is simply too grave.
Damage at Indian Point is unprecedented and mounting. Last month, more than 200 bolts that keep the inner walls of the reactor core from coming apart were found to be either missing or impaired. This was the eighth incident in eight months, following a radioactive leak, a transformer explosion and oil spill, a water pump failure, electrical anomalies, and the loss of power to several reactor control rods.
We have enough power capacity to close Indian Point and replace its 2,000 megawatts: We already have 1,500 megawatts of energy capacity from existing electricity surpluses, recently restored power generation from regional plants, transmission improvements and targeted energy efficiency gains by ConEdison. And, according to the New York Independent System Operator, downstate load forecasts for this summer have dropped by 500 megawatts due to increases in solar power installations, energy efficiency and demand-side management.
Yes, we can close Indian Point and reliably keep the lights on.
Paul Gallay
Riverkeeper president
Ossining
Michael Shank
Riverkeeper communications fellow
New York City and Ossining
