In a decision drawing criticism from activists and lawmakers, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Monday granted utility Entergy permission to forgo certain post-Fukushima safety measures at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Massachusetts.
The regulator ordered a series of safety improvements at U.S. reactor sites after the 2011 triple meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. One directive was installation of reliable hardened vents for reactor wetwells, which remove combustible gases from reactor buildings after severe accidents in order to avoid the kinds of explosions that occurred at Fukushima. Pilgrim features the same GE Mark I design as the reactors that melted down at Fukushima.
The NRC on Monday approved a schedule extension from this year to 2019 for Entergy to comply with hardened vent installation procedures. Pilgrim is scheduled to close on May 31, 2019, meaning Entergy would forgo the measure entirely.
“[W]e have not found that the implementation of changes in this area will result in a meaningful further improvement to the plant’s safety during the period leading up to permanent cessation of operations,” NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said by email this week.
Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) on Monday said the NRC decision undermines safety in nearby communities.
“When Entergy announced its intention to cease operations at Pilgrim, the NRC promised that it would hold Entergy responsible for running the plant as safely as possible until that time,” Markey said in a prepared statement. “By providing exemptions from requirements meant to address the risk of terrorist attacks or severe accidents such as natural disasters, the NRC has broken its promise.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), also blasted the NRC’s decision: “Pilgrim may be shutting down in 2019, but that date should have no bearing on Entergy’s — and the NRC’s — responsibility to ensure safe plant operations, each and every day. The risks are too high to allow Entergy to stumble forward for the next two years and disregard investment in critical safety upgrades.”
Safety at the 45-year-old nuclear plant has been a sticking point in Massachusetts, as the facility has experienced a number of operational issues and unplanned shutdowns dating to 2013. The NRC is preparing the results from its comprehensive inspection of the plant, which is currently listed in Column 4 of the NRC’s Action Matrix, the lowest possible safety grade for an operating reactor.
Land Court Rules in Favor of Entergy
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Land Court this month sided with Entergy in a lawsuit filed by local residents seeking to reverse a zoning decision concerning Pilgrim’s independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI).
The town of Plymouth approved Entergy’s zoning permit for the ISFSI in 2013. The lawsuit argued that the zoning decision breached local law, as Entergy’s application should have been elevated to a special permit request, allowing for a public hearing on the matter.
“Pilgrim’s poor operating record and the risks this failing nuclear reactor poses has been a long-term concern,” plaintiff Diane Buckbee said in a statement released by Cape Cod Bay Watch. “Making sure that the nuclear waste is properly stored and that local residents have every opportunity to have a say in the permitting process would help us protect our property values.”
The plaintiffs have not decided yet whether to appeal the Land Court ruling, according to Cape Cod Bay Watch.
