April 13, 2023
The decision to pause the May 2023 releases from the Indian Point spent fuel pools will allow the State to independently analyze the spent fuel pool water before it is released. Holtec’s pause will also allow time for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which has jurisdiction over these discharges, to answer the important questions Senators Schumer and Gillibrand recently raised and to directly address concerned members of the public and local elected officials at an upcoming meeting of the Decommissioning Oversight Board.
Holtec’s cooperation with the State to sample and analyze the treated spent fuel pool water before it proceeds with discharges is an important step toward improving the transparency of the spent fuel pool dewatering process, which is a necessary part of decommissioning. Holtec’s agreement to pause the partial dewatering planned for May is also an important step toward rebuilding trust in the community. We urge Holtec to meaningfully engage with the elected officials in the region and to respond to their concerns, while staying true to the key public-interest principle of a safe, prompt, and thorough decommissioning of Indian Point. While releases of treated spent fuel pool water occur under the auspices of the federal government, that does not relieve Holtec of its responsibility to partner with the host community to address local concerns about various aspects of the decommissioning process.