The Indian Point nuclear plant has been in business since 1962 and has been a major source of power for New York City since then. However, it has had its shares of accidents and mishaps. Those events have caused it to become one of the nation’s worst nuclear power plants. It is now being debated about whether or not to shut it down permanently.
To shut it down, would be a step forward in the direction to a better energy plan. However, it would take a few years and a lot of money to replace the electricity in the plant. The Indian Point plant actually provides 25% of the power for New York City and Westchester.
People are mostly worried about a disaster, like the Fukushima disaster, occurring while this plant is still open and running. Their evacuation plan is much different than the one in Japan. The Japanese in the surrounding areas of the Fukushima plant had to evacuate a 50 mile radius. In Indian Point, the evacuation plant is a 10 mile radius. If something were to happen like Fukushima, it would be much more costly than the $60 billion cleanup Japan had.
Replacing the plant with a clean energy resource would provide so much more energy. By the time the Indian Point plant’s licensing is up in 2015, more cleaner energy sources will be made available.
As of three days ago, effects on the Hudson River were being brought up. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to reevaluate the aquatic life and the impact the Indian Point reactors effects them. This study will decided whether or not new licenses will be granted.
Sources:
- http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/i/indian_point_nuclear_power_plant_ny/index.htm
- http://www.treehugger.com/energy-policy/new-york-close-indian-point-nuclear-plant-without-new-capacity-needed-2020.html
- http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120315/NEWS/120319819/-1/SITEMAP
