Citizens of Eastham, Massachusetts, site of the decommissioned Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, will vote today on whether to ask Gov. Charlie Baker to amp up security at the plant.
The plant was shut down by Entergy, its former owner, in May 2019. Holtec International purchased the plant three months later to decommission it.
The ballot in Tuesday’s scheduled special election will ask voters whether the town should “direct the local government to request that Governor Baker and the State Legislature employ all means available” to ensure that:
- Spent nuclear fuel is secured in better quality dry casks and hardened, on-site storage; and
- Spent fuel pool and casks are protected with heightened security at the decommissioned Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant to prevent intrusion in order to protect the health, welfare, and economic interests of the Town of Eastham and its inhabitants and visitors.
The town’s planning board passed the petition at a meeting Sept. 26, citing concerns over national security and radioactive contamination “rendering our communities uninhabitable” in the instance of a terrorist attack targeting the casks, for example.
“Lax security on the property currently allows open access to the Pilgrim Plant beyond the posted, ‘no trespassing’ signs to within line-of-sight dry casks and spent fuel pool,” the petition said.
It continued on to say the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved exemptions requested by Holtec for “reduced off-site liability insurance, reduced cybersecurity, and reduced offsite emergency planning” and in turn “potentially endangering the public including residents of the Town of Eastham.”
Holtec spokespersons didn’t respond to requests for comment on Monday.
