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Lowey Calls For Investigation Of Indian Point Fire

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – U.S. Rep. Nita M. Lowey, (D-Westchester/Rockland), ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee, has called on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct an investigation of the Indian Point Energy Center and release information pertaining to fire safety exemptions that have been provided.

Rep. Nita Lowey

Rep. Nita Lowey

Photo Credit: File

“The long list of concerns at Indian Point weighs heavily on the minds of families and businesses in the Lower Hudson Valley,” said Lowey. “The Nuclear Regulatory Commission must conduct its own thorough investigation into the factors that led to the most recent fire and release details of safety exemptions provided to Indian Point. It is vital that everything be done to ensure the safety of the surrounding area.”

Lowey is submitting a letter to the NRC calling for a thorough investigation of the most recent transformer fire at Indian Point on Saturday evening, which caused a shutdown of one of the facility’s reactors. The letter also points out Indian Point’s history of safety lapses, which now include three transformer fires.

The NRC has granted exemptions to Indian Point for certain fire safety standards, and Lowey’s letter asks NRC to provide a detailed list and justifications for all safety exemptions provided to Indian Point. In addition, Lowey has called on NRC not to renew Indian Point's license for its reactors and recently reintroduced two pieces of legislation that would: require the NRC to award grants for emergency preparedness when the agency collects safety-related fines from nuclear facilities; and require the NRC to evaluate aging power plants to be relicensed with the same stringent criteria used to license new plants. 

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