Indian Point reactor to be shut down permanently

The nuclear reactor that is Indian Point Unit 2 will be shut down for the final time April 30 as part of the plan to totally take the nuclear-powered electric generating plant out of service by April 30, 2021.

The plant itself was built with three nuclear reactors that provided heat to turn water into steam to drive turbines that turn electric generators. Construction started on Reactor No. 1 on April 30, 1956. The reactor started operating in 1962. It was permanently shut down on Oct. 30, 1974.

indian point nuclear union Entergy
 Photo by Bob Rozycki

Reactor No. 2 began commercial operations in 1974, with Reactor No. 3 coming on line in 1976. Reactor No. 3 is scheduled to be shut down next year. Entergy purchased Indian Point units 1 and 2 from Con Edison for $602 million. It subsequently bought Unit 3 from the New York State Power Authority.

“Over the last 45 years, thousands of dedicated professionals have operated Unit 2 at Indian Point ”“ safely, securely and reliably,” said Chris Bakken, Entergy”™s chief nuclear officer. “We owe each of them our thanks for a job well done and for their commitment to the highest standards of professionalism.”

Entergy owns and operates five nuclear power units in Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi along with conventional power plants. Entergy has annual revenues of $11 billion and has approximately 13,600 employees.

The Indian Point shutdown is the result of a settlement agreement with New York state.  More than 40 employees from Indian Point have accepted offers to continue with Entergy in other locations.

In April of last year, Entergy announced the proposed post-shutdown sale of the subsidiaries that own Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3 to a Holtec International subsidiary. Holtec would handle decommissioning at Indian Point following regulatory approvals and the closing of the transfer from Entergy next year. It has said that part of the Indian Point site would be released for reuse in 12 to 15 years after decommissioning began. Holtec said it expected to offer employment to about 300 Indian Point employees for work on the shutdown.