The Long, Sad Saga of New York’s Indian Point Nuclear Plant, By Stephen Heins

This saga is even worse now that Governor Kathy Hochul and the State of New York has decided to build a new nuclear power plant.

The closure of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, located in Buchanan, New York, about 30 miles north of Manhattan, is a story woven with political maneuvering, environmental activism, safety concerns, and economic trade-offs. Its shutdown in 2021 marked the end of a contentious saga that spanned decades, reflecting broader debates about nuclear energy, climate change, and regional energy policy. Below is a narrative capturing the politics and events surrounding Indian Point’s closure, grounded in the complex interplay of stakeholders and historical context.

The Rise of Indian Point: A Nuclear Powerhouse

Indian Point’s story begins in the mid-20th century, during the optimistic dawn of nuclear energy in the United States. Built in the 1960s and 1970s by Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) and later operated by Entergy, a Louisiana-based energy company, Indian Point’s three reactors (Unit 1, decommissioned in 1974, and Units 2 and 3, operational until 2020 and 2021) were designed to supply reliable, low-carbon electricity to New York City and Westchester County.

By the 2000s, Indian Point’s two active reactors generated about 2,000 megawatts, providing roughly 25% of New York City’s electricity and 10% of the state’s total power. For decades, it was a linchpin of the region’s energy grid, powering homes, businesses, and the bustling metropolis of New York without the carbon emissions of coal or gas.

Yet, Indian Point’s proximity to one of the world’s densest urban centers—within 50 miles of over 20 million people—made it a lightning rod for controversy. The plant sat near the Ramapo Fault, a minor seismic zone, and its cooling systems drew billions of gallons of water from the Hudson River, killing fish and raising environmental concerns. After the 1979 Three Mile Island accident and the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, public unease about nuclear power grew, and Indian Point became a focal point for critics who saw it as a disaster waiting to happen.

The Gathering Storm: Safety Concerns and Activism

By the early 2000s, Indian Point faced mounting scrutiny. A series of incidents—leaks of radioactive tritium and strontium-90 into groundwater, a transformer explosion in 2007, and a 2015 fire—fueled fears about the plant’s safety. While the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) consistently deemed the leaks non-threatening to public health, activists and local residents argued that the aging facility, built before modern seismic and security standards, was too risky to operate near New York City. The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks amplified these concerns, as Indian Point was identified as a potential target, prompting calls for stronger security measures or outright closure.

Environmental groups like Riverkeeper and Clearwater, alongside celebrities like Paul Newman and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., became vocal opponents. They highlighted the plant’s environmental impact, particularly its cooling system’s destruction of Hudson River aquatic life, estimated to kill billions of fish eggs and larvae annually. These groups also pointed to the lack of a viable evacuation plan for the densely populated region in the event of a nuclear accident. Riverkeeper’s campaigns gained traction, framing Indian Point as an ecological and public safety threat.

Local politics added fuel to the fire. Westchester County residents, many affluent and politically active, expressed alarm about living in the plant’s shadow. Some towns within the 10-mile evacuation zone, like Croton-on-Hudson, saw grassroots movements pushing for closure. However, not all locals agreed: the plant employed about 1,000 workers and contributed $1 billion annually to the local economy, including $75 million in taxes and payments to schools and municipalities. Union leaders and some residents argued that Indian Point was a safe, essential source of jobs and power, and its closure would devastate the region.

The Political Battleground: Cuomo vs. Indian Point

The debate over Indian Point crystallized under New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who emerged as the plant’s most powerful adversary. Cuomo, a Democrat with ambitions for national prominence, had long opposed Indian Point, dating back to his days as New York’s attorney general. His opposition was both pragmatic and political: closing Indian Point aligned with his environmental agenda, appealed to progressive voters, and addressed the concerns of wealthy Westchester donors. Yet, it also required navigating a delicate balance, as New York State had set ambitious climate goals, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030, and nuclear power was a major source of carbon-free energy.

Cuomo’s administration argued that Indian Point was unsafe and outdated, citing its proximity to New York City and the impossibility of evacuating millions in a crisis. In 2007, as attorney general, Cuomo joined efforts to block the plant’s relicensing, a process overseen by the NRC. Entergy, which had purchased Indian Point in 2001, sought to extend the operating licenses for Units 2 and 3, set to expire in 2013 and 2015, respectively, for another 20 years. New York State intervened, challenging the relicensing on environmental and safety grounds, particularly the plant’s impact on the Hudson River and its failure to meet modern seismic standards.

The relicensing battle became a war of attrition. The NRC, which has a high approval rate for license renewals, conducted extensive reviews, while New York State, environmental groups, and local officials filed petitions and lawsuits to delay or deny the process. The state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) refused to grant a water quality certificate, arguing that Indian Point’s cooling system violated the Clean Water Act. Entergy countered that retrofitting the plant with cooling towers, as demanded by the state, would cost over $1 billion and was unnecessary given the plant’s safety record.

(TO BE CONTINUED)