Pilgrim Nuclear to Move Spent Fuel to Dry Cask Storage

power plantPLYMOUTH – Entergy, the owner of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, announced today that it will begin to move spent fuel into dry cask storage under a plan approved and monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Entergy spokeswoman Lauren Burm stated that “Dry cask storage has a 28-year history in the U.S. nuclear industry as a reliable and safe method for storing spent fuel using large, airtight steel and concrete canisters that provide structural strength and radiation shielding.”

According to Entergy, each cask is 18 feet tall and 11 feet wide and when loaded weighs 360,000 pounds. More than 500 dry casks are currently in use across the United States.

Burm said, “Moving spent fuel into dry cask storage is needed to maintain sufficient room in the spent fuel pools to conduct refueling operations as needed, ensuring that Pilgrim can continue to safely and efficiently generate electricity for thousands of homes, businesses and institutions in the region. Three casks are being loaded at Pilgrim as part of a tightly controlled process that should be completed by the end of January.”

She continued, “All of the casks will be closely monitored and will be kept within a highly secure fenced in area in specialized containers placed on a concrete pad located 25 feet above sea level. The storage containers are NRC licensed and tested under rigorous engineering and safety criteria. They are designed to withstand a variety of extreme scenarios, ranging from tornadoes, accidents and severe weather, to earthquakes and terrorist attacks.”



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