NY AG-Cuomo oppses Indian Point Renewal license

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Remy Chevalier [remyc]

Saturday, March 20, 2010 12:14 AM

FUSE USA; CTSOS; No New Nukes; IPSEC1

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo opposes Indian Point reactor

renewal

 

 

NY AG opposes Entergy Indian Point reactor renewal

 

 

 

 

 

Fri Mar 19, 2010

 

 

 

_http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1914877520100319_

(http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1914877520100319)

 

 

 

 

* Objections over plant's accident mitigation analysis

* Cuomo says plant couldn't be built so close to NYC today

* NRC to hold hearing on contentions later this year

NEW YORK, March 19 (Reuters) - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has

filed new objections to renewing the license of Entergy Corp's (_ETR.N_

(http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=ETR.N) ) Indian Point

nuclear power reactors, saying the plant poses too much of a safety risk to

the densely populated New York City area.

The continued operation of the 2,045-megawatt plant for an additional 20

years has the potential to affect more people than any other reactor in the

country, Cuomo said in his filing last week with the U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, which has been considering renewing the plant's license

since

2007.

Indian Point is located just 45 miles (72 km) north of New York City.

" It is highly unlikely the Indian Point reactors could be located today in

this densely populated area, " said Cuomo, noting that more than 17 million

people living within 50 miles of the plant.

Cuomo, a Democrat long opposed to the continued operation of the Indian

Point plant, is expected to announce plans to run for the New York governor's

office at the end of March.

Entergy argues that the plant is safe and submitted to the NRC a new

Severe Accident Mitigation Alternatives (SAMA) analysis in December. SAMA is a

cost benefit analysis of what kind of modifications a nuclear operator could

do to the reactor to make it safer.

The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB), the NRC's judicial arm, is

already dealing with 15 or so contentions against the license renewal,

including a couple from the Attorney General's office.

The ASLB expects to hold a hearing on the contentions later this year but

has not set a specific date.

Entergy filed with the NRC in 2007 to renew the original 40-year reactor

licenses for an additional 20 years. In a noncontentious license renewal,

the NRC has made decisions in less than two years, but Indian Point is

contentious.

The Indian Point reactor licenses expire in 2013 and 2015. (Reporting by

_Scott DiSavino_

(http://blogs.reuters.com/search/journalist.php?edition=us & n=scott.disavino & ) ;

Editing by _Lisa Shumaker_

(http://blogs.reuters.com/search/journalist.php?edition=us & n=lisa.shumaker & ) )