Federal agency launches probe at N.Y. nuclear plant

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced Tuesday it will send a special investigative team to a New York nuclear plant to analyze this month's transformer failure.

Investigators want to determine why there was water in an electrical supply room at the Indian Point 3 nuclear power plant after the May 9 transformer failure and fire, which shut down the reactor.

Up to 3,000 gallons of transformer oil entered the Hudson River, based on preliminary Coast Guard estimates. An additional 8,300 gallons of oil either burned or were retrieved and the plant is still trying to recover the remaining 13,000 gallons.

The supply room under investigation contains electrical equipment that provides power to plant safety systems.

"None of the electrical equipment became wet or experienced any damage or failures as a result of the water," NRC Region I Administrator Dan Dorman said in a statement. "Nevertheless, the (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) inspectors will be tasked with gathering information on how the water accumulated in the room and the potential for impacts had there been a significantly larger volume of water."

In a meeting with The (Westchester County, N.Y.) Journal News' editorial board, Entergy, Indian Point's operator, spoke about the amount of oil that entered the river.

"Obviously we have to work with the (Department of Environmental Conservation) over the next several weeks and months ... to identify what else we can find on-site, which will largely be underground," said Bill Mohl, president of Entergy Wholesale Commodities.

It's still unknown what caused the transformer explosion and fire. Entergy plans to announce its preliminary findings to the public and the energy industry by June 30. The company also expects to restart the Unit 3 reactor by the end of the month.

Last week, U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, a Democrat who represents Rockland and Westchester counties, called for a federal investigation into Indian Point.

"I'm glad the NRC is flexing its regulatory muscle," she said Tuesday. "Many questions remain about Indian Point's history of safety lapses, and a thorough investigation of the May 9 fire and safety exemptions are necessary."