Protest Planned as Federal Inspectors Return to Pilgrim

COURTESY PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION

PLYMOUTH – Anti-nuclear activists will rally at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station next week as federal inspectors return to complete their review of the troubled plant.

The Cape Downwinders will gather outside the gate to Pilgrim from 1 to 3 p.m. on January 9 and will call for an immediate shutdown of Pilgrim, citing the safety concerns highlighted by the lead inspector in an internal Nuclear Regulatory Commission e-mail made public last month.

In that e-mail, Don Jackson wrote “we are observing current indications of a safety culture problem that a bunch of talking probably won’t fix.”

Jackson also added that staff seemed “overwhelmed” trying to run the station.

“I’m convinced more than ever that Pilgrim’s shut down is long overdue,” said Cape Downwinders member William Maurer. “Trust the observations in the leaked e-mail.”

“This e-mail demonstrates Entergy’s systemic mismanagement and incompetence as well as NRC”s flagrant disregard for our safety,” said Deb Katz, the Executive Director of Citizens Awareness Network.

Pilgrim has been plagued by equipment issues, safety violations, and unplanned shutdowns in recent years, leading to the station’s downgraded performance rating by the NRC in 2015.

Pilgrim is one of the three-worst performing reactors in the country in the eyes of the NRC and is one step away from a federally mandated shutdown.

Inspectors have already completed two weeks of a three-week review at Pilgrim and return to the station January 9.

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