Indian Point Energy Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Indian Point Energy Center |
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Entergy's Indian Point Energy Center (I.P.E.C.) seen from across the Hudson River
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Buchanan, New York (state) |
| Coordinates | 41°16′11″N 73°57′8″W / 41.26972°N 73.95222°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | Unit 1: May 1, 1956 Unit 2: October 14, 1966 Unit 3: November 1, 1968 |
| Commission date | Unit 1: October 1, 1962 Unit 2: August 1, 1974 Unit 3: August 30, 1976 |
| Decommission date | Unit 1: October 31, 1974 Unit 2: April 30, 2020 |
| Construction cost | $2.450 billion (2007 USD, Units 2–3 only) ($3.13 billion in 2021 dollars ) |
| Owner(s) | Entergy |
| Operator(s) | Entergy |
| Website Indian Point Energy Center www.safesecurevital.com |
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The Indian Point Energy Center (I.P.E.C.) was a large power plant located in Buchanan, New York. It sat right on the east bank of the Hudson River, about 36 miles (58 km) north of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. This plant used nuclear power to create electricity.
At one point, the station could generate about 1,000 megawatts of electricity. To give you an idea, the highest amount of electricity used by New York City and Westchester County at one time was 13,322 megawatts. This happened during a heat wave in 2013.
The plant was owned and run by Entergy Nuclear Northeast. It had one working pressurized water reactor called "Indian Point Unit 3 (IP3)". Two other reactors, Unit 1 (IP1) and Unit 2 (IP2), were already shut down. Entergy bought these units from other companies in the early 2000s. About 1,000 people worked at the plant.
The original permits for Units 2 and 3 were set to end in 2013 and 2015. Entergy wanted to keep them running longer. However, after pressure from local groups and New York's governor, Andrew Cuomo, it was decided the plant would close by 2021. People were worried about the old units, small environmental leaks, and how close the plant was to New York City.
Contents
How Indian Point Made Electricity
The Plant's History
The land where Indian Point was built used to be an amusement park! A company called Consolidated Edison (ConEdison) bought the land in 1954.
Indian Point Unit 1 was the first reactor built. It started working in 1962. It used a special type of fuel. This reactor was shut down in 1974 because its emergency cooling system did not meet new safety rules. The building is still there, and Unit 1 will be fully taken apart when Unit 2 is.
Units 2 and 3 were built later, in 1974 and 1976. They are both Westinghouse pressurized water reactors. Unit 2 could make 1,032 megawatts, and Unit 3 could make 1,051 megawatts. These reactors used uranium dioxide as fuel. They were protected by strong concrete domes, 40 inches thick, to keep everything safe inside.
Nuclear Power in New York
Indian Point Units 2 and 3 were two of six nuclear power sources in New York State. New York is one of the top five states for nuclear power. Nuclear power makes up about 34.2% of New York's electricity, which is more than the average for the whole U.S. In 2017, Indian Point alone made about 10% of the state's electricity. It also provided 25% of the electricity used in New York City and Westchester County.
Entergy sold most of Indian Point's power in the electricity market. New York had some of the highest electricity prices in the U.S. in 2013.
Keeping the Reactors Running
Units 2 and 3 needed new fuel every two years. When it was time for new fuel, one unit would be turned off for refueling and maintenance. For example, in 2015, Indian Point 3 was offline for 23 days for this process. Entergy spent $50 million on this work, with $30 million going to employee salaries.
Impact of Indian Point
Economic Benefits
A report from 2015 said that Indian Point helped the local economy a lot. It created $1.3 billion in economic activity each year in nearby areas. Across the whole state, it was $1.6 billion, and $2.5 billion across the United States.
In 2014, Entergy paid $30 million in local and state taxes. The plant also created many jobs. It directly employed about 1,000 full-time workers. These jobs also helped create another 2,800 jobs in the local area and 1,600 more jobs in other parts of New York. In total, it supported about 10,700 jobs across the U.S.
When the plant closed, a $15 million fund was set up. This money will be used for "community and environmental" projects.
Environmental Concerns
Some people worried about the plant closing because nuclear energy does not create carbon emissions. A study found that closing the plant could make New York's power emissions jump by 29%. This would be like adding 1.4 million more cars to New York roads.
Some environmental groups were concerned about Indian Point's operation. They worried about radiation leaks and harm to wildlife. While some radioactive materials did get into the groundwater, there is no proof that this radiation ever caused serious harm to people or animals. Even at their highest levels, leaks were very small compared to safety limits.
In 2016, Governor Andrew Cuomo asked for investigations into the plant. He worked with environmental groups to try and close it. However, some people questioned his reasons for wanting to close the plant.
Climate scientist James Hansen disagreed with closing the plant. He said that Indian Point was important for fighting climate change. He urged New Yorkers to trust science over fear.
Indian Point used water from the Hudson River for cooling. Even with special screens, the cooling system killed many fish eggs and larvae each year. There were hearings about this issue. The plant said it had spent $75 million on studies showing it did not harm adult fish.
Safety at Indian Point
Indian Point Energy Center was watched very closely by many government groups. It had a very reliable history compared to other power plants in New York. In 1997, the plant was removed from a list of plants needing extra attention because it had fewer problems. In 2009, it received a top safety rating from federal regulators.
A report in 2003 said that the emergency system might not be good enough to protect people from radiation in a major release. However, a 2012 report said that the plans for evacuating people were good enough.
Storing Used Fuel
Indian Point stored used fuel rods in two special pools at the plant. These pools were 40 feet deep, and the fuel was kept under 27 feet of water. Water is a good way to block radiation. The pools were built with thick concrete walls and a stainless steel lining. They had many backup cooling systems.
Since 2008, Indian Point also started storing some used fuel rods in "dry casks." These are strong containers designed to protect against floods, tornadoes, and extreme temperatures. The dry casks are considered a very safe way to store used fuel.
Earthquake Risk
In 2008, scientists found a new active seismic zone (an area where earthquakes happen) near Indian Point. This zone crossed another known fault line, the Ramapo Fault, which is less than a mile north of the plant. Scientists disagree on how active the Ramapo Fault really is.
In 2013, engineers checked the risk of earthquake damage to Unit 3. They found the risk of serious damage was very low. Indian Point was built to withstand an earthquake of 6.1 on the Richter scale. This is much stronger than any earthquake recorded in the area.
In 2010, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) estimated the risk of an earthquake causing core damage. They said Indian Point Unit 3 had a higher risk than some other plants. This was because plants in areas with more earthquakes, like California, were designed to be even more quake-resistant. However, the NRC said their numbers should not be used to rank plants by risk.
During the 2011 Virginia earthquake in 2011, both Indian Point Units 2 and 3 kept working at full power. Inspections after the earthquake showed no damage.
Emergency Plans
The NRC has two main emergency planning zones around nuclear power plants. One zone is about 10 miles wide. It focuses on protecting people from breathing in radioactive material. The other zone is about 50 miles wide. It focuses on protecting people from eating or drinking contaminated food or liquids.
In 2010, about 272,539 people lived within 10 miles of Indian Point. About 17 million people lived within 50 miles. This 50-mile zone includes most of New York City, parts of New Jersey, and parts of Connecticut.
After the Fukushima incident in Japan in 2011, the U.S. government told Americans in Japan to stay more than 50 miles away from the affected area. Some people pointed out that a 50-mile zone around Indian Point would cover almost all of New York City.
Indian Point was protected by federal, state, and local police, and by private security. There was even a National Guard base nearby. After the September 11 attacks, the NRC made nuclear plants check their plans for terrorist attacks. Entergy said that a large plane crashing into the plant's main building would not damage the reactor.
Keeping the Plant Running
Units 2 and 3 were first given licenses to operate for 40 years. The NRC allows these licenses to be renewed. In 2007, Entergy asked for a 20-year renewal for both units. Because they asked early enough, the units could keep running while the NRC decided.
Some groups and politicians, like New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, were against renewing the licenses. They argued that the plant was too old or unsafe.
In 2010, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said Indian Point was breaking the Clean Water Act. This was because the plant's water intake system killed many aquatic organisms, including an endangered fish. The state wanted Entergy to build new cooling towers, which would be very expensive and would shut down the plant for almost a year.
Supporters of Indian Point, like former New York City mayors Michael Bloomberg and Rudolph W. Giuliani, said the plant was vital for the city's economy. They also said that without Indian Point, New York City might not get enough electricity.
Governor Andrew Cuomo continued to push for the plant's closure. Experts wondered if enough new power plants could be built quickly to replace Indian Point. They warned that closing the plant could lead to much higher electricity costs and even power outages.
Closure of Indian Point
Governor Cuomo increased his efforts to close Indian Point starting in late 2015. He opened investigations with state agencies. By November 2017, the New York electricity system accepted Indian Point's plan to retire.
In January 2017, the governor's office announced the plant would close by 2020-2021. This closure, along with new pollution rules, created challenges for New York's electricity supply. Some ideas to replace the power included energy storage, renewable energy (solar and wind), and new power lines from Canada. New natural gas plants were also built or planned to help meet the demand.
Under the final plan, one reactor closed in April 2020, and the second closed by April 2021. Some people argued that New York City would need more natural gas pipelines to get enough energy. Others believed that renewable energy, saving energy, and making the electrical grid more efficient could replace the power from Indian Point.
Images for kids
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Entergy's Indian Point Energy Center (I.P.E.C.) seen from across the Hudson River
See also
In Spanish: Central Nuclear Indian Point para niños
