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OUR EFFORT TO PROTECT CAPE COD BAY and
OUR COMMUNITIES IS NOT OVER YET!
Holtec still plans to dump!
HOLTEC'S MENDACITY: Holtec claims that this MassDEP action is stalling the decommissioning. Actually, the company made a statement at the May 2023 Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel that the work at Pilgrim is delayed for 4 years due to the drop in the stock market which impacts the Decommissioning Trust Fund. The tentative MassDEP action is a side bar excuse. Holtec has no other plan in place than dumping. Otherwise, this state action would not impact their time sequence to decommission as Holtec could have prepared for it.
Holtec Senior Compliance Manager David Noyes comments made it clear that money $$$$ is the driver here:
"The Decommissioning Trust Fund [DTF] did not grow at a rate compared to the costs of performing decommissioning due to the increased costs of labor and high inflationary costs. And as a result of that, in order to be able to continue to regrow the DTF and ensure we have the proper amount of margin [i.e.profit] to be able to complete the job, we are putting a 4-year hold on this key portion of the demolition activities."
click here for the NDCAP MEETING May 2023
See statement time at 1:36
Now, in response to the July 24 MassDEP announcement, Holtec International Government Affairs and Communications Director Patrick O'Brien plays the blame game: "We are disappointed by the state's denial of our permit modification for discharge of treated water from Pilgrim Station well within state limits. We will continue with the EPA modification process and will look to evaluate all options related to ultimate disposition of the water used in plant operations for the last 50 years. This process has already delayed the completion of the project for an additional four years, impacted the workforce on site and furher changes when the site can be returned to be an economic driver for the Plymouth Community."
Holtec has slowed down decommissioning work at Indian Point in NY and Oyster Creek in NJ. The April 5, 2023 Ashbury Park Press from NJ reports,
"Holtec officials explained the economic condition that led the company's decision to decide to slow down the process in a March 31 report on its trust funds to the Nuclear Regulatory Agency. The company cited "poor market performance and higher than usual inflation during 2022" as reported by Holtec spokesperson Patrick O'Brien. Full story here
Holtec has a history of "ignoring state authority", according to the New Mexico lawsuit [see below]. Also, Holtec plans to pursue a modified National Polliutant Discharge Elimination System permit via the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
The deal is not sealed until Holtec removes dumping into Cape Cod Bay as part of their business plan.
Until then, we must remain vigilant!
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