Indian Point Energy Center Is Safe Dear Editor:

Indian Point Energy Center Is Safe
Dear Editor:

In prior letters to the Putnam County News, I’ve read statements such as "close proximity to Indian Point" and "jeopardizes our property and the environment" in reference to the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plants.

The Indian Point Energy Center has been located in Northern Westchester for approximately 40 years. There have been multi-million dollar modifications to the plants to improve their safety and reliability. Many people have expressed concerns about their property values, and that they are so afraid at night that they can’t sleep. Well, I would like to know how many people have moved into the area in the past 40 years.

Everyone knows where the Indian Point Energy Center is located. Would you move into an area where you couldn’t sleep at night due to fear? The next time you meet a real estate sales person in town, ask them about the real estate market in Cold Spring and Garrison. I don’t think that local residents are selling their homes to get away from Indian Point.

Entergy has only owned Indian Point 2 for about six months. They fully understand the challenges ahead of them and have already made many changes to bring this plant up to its full potential. Entergy maintains safety as its # 1 priority. As an example of Entergy’s determination, look at the performance of Indian Point 3. Several areas of plant performance are being calculated and submitted which will place Indian Point 3 in the top 10% of all nuclear power plants in the country.

Now let’s talk about the differences between Indian Point and Chernobyl. Indian Point 3 performs a test on their containment building that houses its reactor. The Indian Point 3 containment building has a volume of 2.6 million cubic feet. This building is periodically pressurized with air to 60 pounds atmospheric, and must maintain pressure for 24 hours plus or minus one pound. Think about that. Chernobyl’s reactor was housed in an aluminum-constructed building that resembles a garage. I truly lost all respect for politicians and local activists groups that are putting fear into the general public. Let’s face it, the most important job while in office is to stay in office. The competent politicians don’t use these subversive tactics. For 40 years, anti-nuclear activists have been trying to close Indian Point. They are now using the events of September 1 1 to further their distorted goals.

Indian Point Energy Center is safe, was safe prior to September 11 and is even safer now.

J. Torchia

Cold Spring