News Release > Entergy Update on Tritium at Indian Point: Fluctuations No Threat to Public Health or Safety

Entergy Update on Tritium at Indian Point: Fluctuations No Threat to Public Health or Safety

02/10/2016

BUCHANAN, NY – Entergy today released updated findings from follow up groundwater tests at the Indian Point nuclear power plant that confirm anticipated fluctuations in tritium levels. These levels continue to pose no threat to public health or safety.

The most recent samples from onsite groundwater monitoring wells show elevated levels of tritium from the first readings -- with the highest concentration rising by about 80 percent, fluctuations that can be expected as the material migrates.

Even with the new readings, there is no impact to public health or safety, and although these values remain less than one-tenth of one percent of federal reporting guidelines, Entergy again made voluntary notification to the NRC, state agencies and other key stakeholders.

Samples will continue to be taken regularly from the monitoring wells, in accordance with Indian Point's procedures.

Entergy's Investigation into Elevated Tritium Concentrations

Entergy, assisted by outside third-party experts, continues to investigate the source of the elevated tritium concentrations - with the likely cause related to the processing of water in preparation for a regularly scheduled refueling outage at the plant's Unit 2 reactor. Workers are inspecting the pump and drainage systems associated with those recent preparations, which were completed in January, to determine the most likely pathway for that water to have reached the ground.

Tritium is a weak radioactive isotope of hydrogen. To learn more about tritium, click on the following link: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/grndwtr-contam-tritium.html.

About Indian Point and Entergy

Indian Point Energy Center, in Buchanan, N.Y., is home to two operating nuclear power plants, Unit 2 and Unit 3, which generate approximately 2,000 megawatts of electricity and supply about 25 percent of power used annually by homes, business and public facilities in New York City and Westchester County.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 10,000 megawatts of nuclear power, making it one of the nation's leading nuclear generators. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.8 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of more than $12 billion and approximately 13,000 employees.

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Indian Point Energy Center's online address is www.safesecurevital.com.
Entergy's online address is www.entergy.com.
Twitter: @Indian_Point
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