Musegaas	Collins, left, and Roberts

CORTLANDT MANOR – A brief presentation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and an even briefer response from Entergy before a relatively sparse crowd highlighted the next step in the long relicensing application process for Indian Point.  The current licenses for reactors 2 and 3 expire in 2013 and 2015 respectively.

NRC Deputy Commissioner Darrell Roberts said the renewal inspection found nothing alarming.

“We didn’t identify any concerns that caused us to have any major concerns with the application.”

A number of points were noted that required action by Entergy but none anything more than revisions to the application.

Riverkeeper staff attorney Philip Musegaas argues the NRC didn’t find anything significant because they didn’t really look for much.

“We think the scope of the review, what the staff actually does, how they conduct the reviews, is inadequate.”

Musegaas said they have serious procedural concerns with the process.

Mark Jacobs, of the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, said the “… lack of comprehensiveness …” in the process does not protect the public.

Others agreed and questioned why this session was needed before the Environmental Impact Statement is released, tentatively in September. 

Paul Steidler, of New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance, which supports Indian Point, contends there is more than adequate oversight.

“Indian Point is the most scrutinized nuclear power plant in the country.  It gets much more inspections that do other facilities.  The NRC has very elaborate inspection processes that are in place.”

NRC Regional Administrator Sam Collins said that affords many opportunities for questions.

“There is a very extensive process, not only for the actual licensing review, the inspection review, but also to litigate the scope of the process, and in some cases, the findings of the process.  Some of you are taking part in that process.  I think that’s a good thing.”

The next meeting in the licensing process will be a public hearing in October.

Also coming up, July 2, is the annual assessment review meeting, which is not part of the relicense application.