Investigation shows Indian Point nuclear plant filled Hudson with radioactive material for decades

The Indian Point nuclear plant in New York released millions of gallons of radioactive water into the Hudson River for more than 60 years, according to a report. A federal investigation from 1970 shows that the plant discharged an average of two to three million gallons of processed wastewater each year. Further, a recent letter to the stakeholders also confirmed that treated radioactive wastewater had been discharged into the Hudson River since almost the beginning. It stated that annual environmental and radiation reports had been submitted to federal regulators. Operations at the Indian Point nuclear plant started on September 16, 1962, and it was fully shuttered on April 30, 2021. According to the Daily Mail, which uncovered the probe into the environmental impact of the plant, processed wastewater and treated radioactive effluents were regularly released into the Hudson.

Millions of fish got trapped in the nuclear power plant's system

The investigation also showed that millions of fish died because of the plant, most of whom were sucked into the facility’s cooling system. The report also states that some chemical discharges exceeded state safety limits, and multiple incidents of chlorine releases were recorded. It warned that toxic releases could have contributed to fish deaths as well, but gaps in monitoring make it hard to confirm either scenario. When places near the discharge areas were tested, they showed measurable increases in radioactivity in water, soil, vegetation and fish.

Also Read: 45,000 gallons of radioactive water from Indian Point nuclear plant could be discharged into Hudson River as Holtec wins lawsuit

What Holtec International said about radioactive discharges into Hudson

Holtec International, the current owner of the plants, also admitted in a letter to the stakeholders that wastewater from the plant was released for several decades. This comes after a court approved a plan to release an additional 45,000 gallons of radioactive water per year from the defunct facility last year. Holtec bought the facility after it was closed and is now responsible for its decommissioning, which includes handling the stored wastewater and spent nuclear fuel. The reports submitted to the regulators also show that radioactive materials, like tritium and other radionuclides, were released into the Hudson following treatment processes. Holtec maintains that during its tenure, all discharges have been within limits.

The 1970 investigation was launched after residents raised concerns about having a nuclear power plant along the Hudson. The environmental impact was noticeable as millions of fish died, but there is no evidence to suggest that it was due to contaminants. But the functioning of the plant itself was a hazard to the aquatic life. The intake screens used to draw cooling water from the river pulled and trapped fish, and this killed an estimated 1.5 million to five million fish between 1962 and 1970. The report states that the problem was aggravated since the fish sought shelter near the structure. The investigators acknowledged that it was hard to determine the full scope of chemical releases into the Hudson River, but believe toxic material could have been suddenly released into the Hudson during accidents or operational disruptions.