Defensive Exercises For Indian Point Are Underway

1010 WINS ^ | July 29, 2003 | Staff

[LurkedLongEnough]

(1010 WINS) (BUCHANAN, N.Y.) Amid controversy about safety at Indian Point, the nuclear power plant's owners began an exercise Tuesday, staging a mock terrorist attack on the facility to help analyze their defensive strategies.

The exercise, which is expected to end on Friday, includes face-to-face combat tactics using laser-equipped combat simulation gear borrowed from the Department of Energy. Officials will also use tabletop exercises to analyze the facility's defensive strategies, the plant's owner, the Entergy Corp., said in a statement.

Those living near the plant were told not to worry if they hear explosions.

For security and safety reasons, access to the plants was severely limited, Entergy said, and the media was asked to stay away.

Officials monitoring the exercise include representatives from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Giuliani Partners, a consulting firm; and a variety of state and federal law enforcement agencies.

The NRC will determine whether Indian Point's security plan met its objectives, and will decide whether or not to make the results of the test public, Entergy said.

A spokesman for the NRC has said the exercise is not a pass-fail type of test, but will be used to determine any weaknesses in the plant's defense.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack, security at Indian Point has become a major worry in the northern suburbs. Most of the concern has focused on evacuation plans around the reactors, but there has also been criticism of security on the grounds.

Officials in the four counties closest to the plant -- Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Orange -- had refused to certify the plant's emergency plans, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved the plans last week, effectively overriding local opposition.

Gov. George Pataki said Tuesday that he had "real concerns" about the situation at Indian Point, and will address them further down the road.

Opposition had grown since the release in January of a review by James Lee Witt, a former FEMA director now working as a private consultant, who found the site's evacuation plans did not properly address the possible effects of a terrorist attack.

[Lazamataz]

Those living near the plant were told not to worry if they hear explosions.

[leadpencil1]

Not to worry. There are only about 10 - 15 million people living around that place. They will all just get on the emergency response buses if there is a real emergency.

[Coleus]

I'm not worried, I'll just fry.

[Coleus]

So, should we all carry potassium iodide with us at all times?

[MattinNJ]

To paraphrase Sam Malone from Cheers "As a guy, there is no problem big enough that won't go away if I really put my mind to it and ignore it."