SHARE

Cuomo Orders Investigation Of Indian Point After Radioactive Water Leak

BUCHANAN, N.Y. -- The state will investigate the Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan after Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he learned that "alarming levels" of radioactive tritium-contaminated water leaked into the groundwater at the facility alongside the Hudson River.

Indian Point

Indian Point

Photo Credit: File photo

“Yesterday I learned that radioactive tritium-contaminated water leaked into the groundwater at the Indian Point Nuclear facility," Cuomo said in a statement Saturday afternoon. "The company reported alarming levels of radioactivity at three monitoring wells, with one well’s radioactivity increasing nearly 65,000 percent. The facility reports that the contamination has not migrated off site and as such does not pose an immediate threat to public health.

"Our first concern is for the health and safety of the residents close to the facility and ensuring the groundwater leak ‎does not pose a threat."

Cuomo called the "latest failure" at Indian Point unacceptable and said he has directed Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Basil Seggos and Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker to fully investigate this incident.

He said he directed them "to 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's letter directing them to investigate can be viewed here.

Part of Indian Point closed Sunday after a transformer failure occurred in May, causing a fire that forced an automatic shutdown of Unit 3 plant.

to follow Daily Voice Cortlandt and receive free news updates.

SCROLL TO NEXT ARTICLE