BUCHANAN – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has denied the majority of requests for exemptions from fire protection requirements at the Indian Point nuclear power plants in Buchanan.

Entergy, meanwhile, issued a statement saying it intends to “comply with [the ruling] in every way [and] our fire protection will be even more comprehensive, and cover even more areas of the plant.”

Based on information from Entergy, the NRC has decided that most of the requests to substitute operator manual actions for fire protection features do not meet NRC’s criteria.

“After considering the compensatory measures, the NRC does not have an immediate safety concern,” Michele Evans, director of NRC’s Operating Reactor Licensing said. “Although the two units have some deficiencies in their defense-in-depth, they have extensive fire protection programs, including an on-site fire brigade to respond to and extinguish fires. In addition, each unit has established fire watches to monitor areas containing the deficiencies.”

Entergy’s James Steets said that with the NRC’s further direction, “Indian Point will be doing even more work to install additional fire protection enhancements.” He noted that for over 35 years, nuclear plant operators have been working to enhance fire protection, including taking a number of steps after a fire at a nuclear plant in the mid-1970s.

Entergy has 30 days to respond to the NRC’s request for information on its plans and schedules to achieve compliance with the fire protection rules.