Implications of Closing Indian Point
Cuomo is set to close Indian Point--what does this mean for New Yorkers?  Governor Cuomo Visiting Indian Point |
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The plant provides numerous benefits to the community, including supplying 1,050 high-paying jobs, and creating an annual tax revenue of $30 million. It is also the largest and closest supplier of power downstate, where most of the population in NY is located. This is beneficial because fewer long-distance transmission lines need to be run. Indian Point also generates emissions-free nuclear energy.
However, Indian Point also has many drawbacks. Nuclear contamination is a big concern, and there have been many leaks of radioactive material into the Hudson River and surrounding groundwater over the years. The water intake valves also kill one billion fish eggs and larvae per year. Furthermore, Indian Point also lies on a fault line. An earthquake could be the catalyst for plant failure. Like we saw in Fukushima, plant failure can lead to a catastrophe. A nuclear meltdown could contaminate the soil and water in the entire New York City metropolitan area. This would put the lives of the 17 million people at risk, and would cause a mass exodus at a scale never before seen as millions of people relocated outside the zone of contamination.
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When Indian Point does close in 2021, the 1,050 jobs will be lost. Cuomo stated that the jobs would be replaced with decommissioning jobs at the plant, jobs at upstate plants, or with renewable energy education programs. With NYC located only a few miles away, hopefully replacement jobs will be available, but likely not for nuclear engineers. However, it is still unknown how the town of Buchanan will make up for the lost tax revenue.
The loss of the nuclear power itself will also be bad for the community. Nuclear is a great baseload power source because it provides a consistent supply of energy. The power source that replaces it should have the same characteristic of reliability. The NYISO has stated that three new natural gas power plants in the NYC area will replace Indian Point's capacity. This is a good replacement on the reliability side, since natural gas supplies reliable power as long as the transmission pipelines are functioning. Natural gas plants are also able to come online much faster than nuclear plants. But using natural gas will produce more air pollution, as well as creating the chance of pipeline leaks. Furthermore, using natural gas for electricity increases the chance for interruptions in winter; we run the risk of having to choose heat over electricity on a very cold day.
Cuomo stated that renewable energy development would be galvanized by Indian Point’s closure, as well as saying there would be “No new emissions” from closing Indian Point. Since the natural gas plant replacements are already operational, these two premises seem unlikely. Two new options for renewable energy development include the new offshore wind on Long Island and more solar energy. Solar capacity in NY actually peaked in 2016, so it’s hard to say how much of an impact the loss of Indian Point will have on the solar industry. The wind project seems to be moving forward, and is scheduled to be completed in 12 years; however, it will only generate 60% of what Indian Point did.
In the end, closing Indian Point seems like a good way to improve safety downstate as well as a way for Cuomo to get political points. In the short run, closing Indian Point will have a negative impact with added greenhouse gases, but will eliminate the potential for a catastrophic nuclear meltdown.
1. Entergy Nuclear - Indian Point Energy Center Units 2 & 3. (2018). http://www.entergy-nuclear.com/plant_information/indian_point.aspx
2. Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). Economic impacts of the Indian Point Energy Center. NEI, Washington, DC; 2015. http://www.safesecurevital.com/pdf/Economic_Impacts.pdf.
3. Riverkeeper. Radiological Leaks at Indian Point. https://www.riverkeeper.org/campaigns/stop-polluters/indian-point/radioactive-waste/radiological-leaks-at-indian-point/
4. Patrick McGeehan. New York Times. Fire Prompts Renewed Calls to Close the Indian Point Nuclear Plant. (2017, December 21). https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/nyregion/fire-prompts-renewed-calls-to-close-the-indian-point-nuclear-plant.html
5. Governor Cuomo Announces 10th Proposal of the 2017 State of the State: Closure of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant by 2021. (2017, January 11). https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-10th-proposal-2017-state-state-closure-indian-point-nuclear-power
6. Generator Deactivation Assessment: Indian Point Energy Center. A Report by the New York Independent System Operator.(2017, December 13). https://www.nyiso.com/public/webdocs/media_room/press_releases/2017/Child-Indian-Point-Energy-Center-Retirement-Analysis/Indian_Point_Generator_Deactivation_Assessment_2017-12-13.pdf
7. NY-Sun Data and Trends. NYSERDA. Retrieved September 16, 2018, from https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/NY-Sun/Data-and-Trends
8. New York State Offshore Wind Master Plan. NYSERDA. (2018).https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Files/Publications/Research/Biomass-Solar-Wind/Master-Plan/Offshore-Wind-Master-Plan.pdf
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