Radioactive contaminated water leaked into the groundwater in Westchester Friday at the Indian Point Nuclear Facility, according to officials at the plant.
An investigation was launched at the site after “alarming levels of radioactivity” were detected in three monitoring wells.
The cause and extent of the leak is not yet known. Officials said, however, the contaminated water has not moved off site.
There is no threat to public health, according to officials in the office of Governor Andrew Cuomo who continue to monitor the wells.
Nevertheless, Cuomo is demanding answers. “This latest failure at Indian Point is unacceptable and I have directed Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Basil Seggos and Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker to fully investigate this incident and employ all available measures, including working with Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to determine the extent of the release, its likely duration, cause and potential impacts to the environment and public health,” Cuomo said.
Indian Point Energy Center has a generating capacity of more than 2,000 megawatts. The plant provides electricity to some two million homes, thousands of businesses and hundreds of health, municipal and transportation systems.
The plant is located in Buchanan, New York just south of Peekskill. It sits on the east bank of the Hudson River, 25 miles north of New York City. The plant is owned by Entergy Nuclear Northeast, a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. It includes two operating Westinghouse pressurized water reactors – designated Indian Point 2 and Indian Point 3 – which Entergy bought from Con Edison and the New York Power Authority. Also included at the plant is the permanently shut-down Indian Point 1 unit reactor.