A reported Indian Point Energy Center "radioactive" leak is under investigation in New York after Gov. Andrew Cuomo learned that the nuclear facility is contaminating the groundwater, though plant representatives insist there is no danger.
The governor called for the investigation in a letter to the state's health department and the environmental conservation department on Saturday after learning of reports of "alarming levels of radioactivity" at
three monitoring wells, The Journal News reported.
"This is not the first such release of radioactive water at Indian Point, nor is this the first time that Indian Point has experienced significant failure in its operation and maintenance,"
Cuomo wrote in the letter, according to the governor's website.
"This failure continues to demonstrate that Indian Point cannot continue to operate in a manner that is protective of public health and the environment. The levels of radioactivity reported this week are significantly higher than in past incidents. Three of 40 monitoring wells registered alarming increases," the letter continued.
The plant, run by Entergy, issued its own statement on Saturday, stating that, while levels of tritium in the groundwater are high according to its recent samples, there is no danger so far.
"While elevated tritium in the ground onsite is not in accordance with our standards, there is no health or safety consequence to the public, and releases are more than a thousand times below federal
permissible limits," Indian Point officials said in a statement. "The tritium did not affect any source of drinking water onsite or offsite."
"Tritium, a radioactively weak isotope of hydrogen, likely reached the ground at Indian Point during recent work activities. Indian Point installed groundwater monitoring wells onsite to enable early detection of any elevated levels of radionuclides in the ground," the statement continued.
Entergy reportedly told area officials Friday about the elevated levels of tritium, Buchanan Mayor Theresa Knickerbocker told The Journal News. She added that Entergy has "always been upfront" and kept us "informed about what's going on over there."
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