Schumer: Indian Point needs 24-hour boat patrol

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer wants to boost security at Indian Point Energy Center by requiring 24-hour boat patrols on the Hudson River near the nuclear power plant.

Only a line of warning buoys separate boaters from the facility, Schumer said at a press conference held on the waterfront near the plant Monday. Some media and watchdog group reports have portrayed the power plant as vulnerable to attack from the water.

“Indian Point is a high-value resource, but also a high-value target ”“ we must always be vigilant and gaps in security must be patched up as soon as possible,” Schumer said. The senator called on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to conduct an analysis of maritime security around the plant.

An August 2013 report by the Nuclear Proliferation Prevention Project said that a water-launched attack on the plant could result in damage and a release of radiation, Schumer said. He suggested that the U.S. Coast Guard could “quarterback” the effort in collaboration with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to ensure at least one security boat was on patrol in the safety zone 24 hours a day. The safety zone is within a 300-yard radius of the plant”™s pier.

Jerry Nappi,  a spokesman for Indian Point, said he was confident Homeland Security would find the plant is secure and its safety protocols are effective.

“The plant’s security capabilities are reviewed regularly by federal inspectors at the [Nuclear Regulatory Commission], including during mock scenarios where our security teams must effectively defend against water-born adversaries in extremely realistic drills,” Nappi said.

Entergy Corp., owner of the plant, is in the process of relicensing the Buchanan plant’s dual reactors for another 20 years. Its applications are currently being reviewed by the NRC.