Indian Point begins final refueling for Unit 2 reactor

Indian Point Energy Center’s Unit 2 reactor shut down yesterday for the final scheduled refueling and maintenance outage before the reactor goes permanently offline in 2020.

indian point energy union strike — Inidan Point Energy Center in Buchanan. Photo by Bob Rozycki

Control room operators shut down the reactor Monday morning, officially starting the $74 million refueling process. Entergy Corp., Indian Point’s operators, said 1,000 additional skilled contract workers will supplement the full-time staff of about 1,000 during the outage. That group will handle maintenance projects that include:

inspection of baffle bolts on a removable liner inside the reactor;
replacing the seal on the reactor coolant pump;
repairing the fuel oil storage tank for one of the unit”™s three emergency diesel generators;
inspecting the steam generator; and
inspecting the low-pressure turbine blade.

This is the 23rd time the reactor has been shut down for refueling and maintenance since it debuted in 1974. It’s also the last time. Entergy reached a deal in early 2017 with New York state to shut down both of its reactors. In exchange, the state dropped legal challenges to a short-term extension of the nuclear plant’s federal license.

Indian Point Unit 2 is expected to shut down in 2020, while the plant’s other reactor, Unit 3, will go offline a year later.

“We remain dedicated to operational excellence at Indian Point and are investing millions of dollars to ensure the facility”™s continued safe, secure and reliable operation until permanently closing,” said Tony Vitale, Entergy”™s top official at Indian Point. “During the next several weeks, approximately 2,000 workers will perform equipment maintenance, comprehensive safety inspections and refuel the reactor so we can continue to meet our rigorous operational safety standards and provide clean, reliable power to millions of New Yorkers.”