Three-unit facility in New York state being decommissioned.
The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted a request by Holtec Decommissioning International (HDI) to revise the emergency preparedness plan for the Indian Point nuclear power station.
The revision reflects the reduced risk of a radiological emergency at the site, which is being decommissioned, and removes the requirement that HDI maintain a 10-mile emergency planning zone around the facility.
HDI, a subsidiary of Florida-based Holtec International, acquired the three-unit nuclear power station in Buchanan, New York state, from Entergy in May 2021 for accelerated decommissioning.
The company recently completed moving all of Indian Point’s spent nuclear fuel to dry storage, significantly reducing the facility’s risks.
According to the NRC, the revisions to the emergency preparedness plan were needed for HDI to establish and maintain an adequate level of radiological emergency preparedness during decommissioning.
These exemptions are consistent with NRC actions at other commercial nuclear power plants undergoing decommissioning. The agency noted that it has issued such exemptions to 19 decommissioning plants since 1987.