Public airs concerns on Pilgrim shutdown
By Christine LegerePosted Jan 8, 2019
Residents raise questions on cost, safety and environmental impact.
PLYMOUTH — Although members of the public probably won’t know the details of decommissioning Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station when the trouble-plagued plant closes in the spring, some of their concerns will remain the same no matter who handles the job.
During a webinar on decommissioning offered Tuesday by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, area residents questioned what guarantee the federal agency had that Pilgrim’s $1.05 billion decommissioning trust fund would be enough to cover the cost.
Other questions focused on the need to do an environmental study of the property, accident and security risks and concern over the possible elimination of emergency planning requirements protecting those who live in the area.
After the plant’s permanent shutdown, scheduled to take place by June 1, current owner-operator Entergy Corp. hopes to turn over ownership to Holtec International and walk away from decommissioning.
Because the requested license transfer takes up to a year to review and could ultimately be denied by the commission, Entergy has been required to submit its own Post-Shutdown Decommissioning Activities Report.
Under its proposed arrangement, Entergy would drain systems once the reactor was permanently offline, shut down all electrical functions that are no longer needed and simply mothball the operation for 50 years under a decommissioning option known as SAFSTOR.
Delay of decommissioning would reduce the level of radioactivity in the buildings and allow the plant’s trust fund to grow, according to Entergy, which has estimated the cost of decommissioning at $1.66 billion.
Under Entergy’s plan, the plant would be decommissioned by 2079.
Holtec International provided a much shorter timeline for decommissioning in its post-shutdown report, under an option called DECON. The plan calls for the dismantling and disposal of buildings and equipment and site cleanup within eight years of reactor shutdown.
Holtec says it can do the job for $1.13 billion.
Mary Lampert, Duxbury resident and director of Pilgrim Watch, pointed out that both Holtec and Entergy plan to place decommissioning under limited liability companies.
“If the money runs out, the party’s over,” Lampert said, noting parent companies would not be responsible.
Bruce Watson, chief of the NRC’s Reactor Decommissioning Branch, assured her that would not happen. “Regardless of whether they call themselves limited liability companies, they are responsible for funds,” Watson said.
Seth Schofield, a lawyer with the Massachusetts attorney general’s office, pressed the issue, asking whether the commission would require financial information on all Holtec’s divisions as part of the license transfer.
“My understanding is the license transfer would look at the totality of the company,” Watson said. “Our standard is reasonable assurance the amount of money would be sufficient.”
Although Holtec’s financial information would likely be confidential, “the attorney general may have access,” Watson said.
Michael Jackman, representing U.S. Rep.William Keating, D-Mass., pointed out the vast difference between Entergy’s and Holtec’s decommissioning plans.
“Is there a time frame for when we’ll know which plan will be operational?” he asked.
There was no definitive answer. The process could take a year, Watson said. NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan added it would depend on how many questions the reviewers have.
Lampert was looking for a major study of the site under the National Environmental Policy Act. The last review done was a Generic Environmental Impact Statement in 2002. “This is 2019,” Lampert said. “We know there have been leaks and illegally buried hazardous waste around the property.” She added the impacts of climate change also should be considered.
No such study was required, Watson responded. “Our lawyers have reviewed the process to make sure we’re in compliance,” he said. “That’s the best answer I can give you today.”
The webinar was offered to provide the public with information on decommissioning before a forum on Entergy’s plan scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Hotel 1620 in Plymouth.
— Follow Christine Legere on Twitter: @ChrisLegereCCT.
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https://www.capecodtimes.com/news/20190108/public-airs-concerns-on-pilgrim-shutdown
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