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NY Governor Probes Nuclear Plant 'Incident' As Oil Spills Into Hudson River

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Having explained to the general public that there was nothing to be concerned about, when an exploding transformer shut down at least one unit of the Indian River nuclear power plant, noting "no danger to public safety," it appears the situation is not as 'contained' as officials hoped. As Sputnik News reports, thousands of gallons of oil that leaked into the Hudson River after the explosion has formed a gigantic oil sheen on the waterway. NY Governor Andrew Cuomo has demanded a probe into the incident, adding that Entergy and contractors will clean up the spill.

  • *CUOMO: PROBE ON WEEKEND INCIDENT AT INDIAN POINT PLANT ONGOING
  • *CUOMO SAYS OIL DISCHARGE RESULT OF FIRE IN A TRANSFORMER
  • *CUOMO: N.Y. WORKING WITH U.S. COAST GUARD TO MONITOR SITUATION
  • *CUOMO: NY, U.S. EVALUATING ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE TO HUDSON RIVER

As Sputnik News reports,

The oil made its way into the river following an explosion, fire, and leak that occurred Saturday at the Indian Point nuclear facility in Buchanan, about 40 miles north of Midtown Manhattan.

 

According to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), oil leaked into the facility's discharge drains during the fire, then into the river.

 

 

However, "there is no doubt that oil was discharged into the Hudson River," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said at Indian Point on Sunday. "We have booms in the water now around the discharged pipe to collect any oil that may be in the river."

 

The fire did not cause the release of any radiation and did not pose a threat to workers or the public, according to a statement by Entergy Corp, the owner of the nuclear power plant.

 

The Journal News cited a state official as saying the oil leak "left a sheen of 75-by-100 feet just south of the two reactors, and is likely expanding."

 

There is also a "notable odor" in the vicinity of the power plant, according to a boat crew for the watchdog group Riverkeeper, which patrolled the Hudson off Indian Point after the transformer fire.

*  *  *

According to the Journal News, US Rep. Nita Lowey of New York said the NRC should not renew Indian Point's license for their reactors, a matter the federal body is currently considering.

"This latest episode proves that Indian Point remains a serious threat to public health and safety," Lowey said in a statement. "We are extremely fortunate that a catastrophic scenario did not unfold, and I urge officials to conduct a swift and thorough investigation."

 

 

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Tue, 05/12/2015 - 20:41 | 6087489 knukles
knukles's picture

Ain't it amazing how when Big Shit Happens, the Big Shit's take matters into their own hands?
Or am I reading too much into the statement?

BTW, courtesy of Wikipedia: Indian Point 1, built by Consolidated Edison, was the first of three reactors at this location. It was a 275-megawatt pressurized water reactor which was issued an operating license on March 26, 1962 and began operations on September 16, 1962.[7] The first core at the Indian Point power station used a thorium-based fuel, but did not live up to expectations.[8] The plant was operated with uranium oxide fuel for the remainder of its life.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 20:39 | 6087490 Cityzerosix
Cityzerosix's picture

Everything is Under Control.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 21:53 | 6087757 Sanity Bear
Sanity Bear's picture

three cheers for aging nuclear plants

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 22:47 | 6087902 A Nanny Moose
A Nanny Moose's picture

All three of my hands are clapping for government approved production of nukular weapon and fluoride production facilities

Wed, 05/13/2015 - 09:03 | 6088944 Slomotrainwreck
Slomotrainwreck's picture

contractors will clean up the spill.

BP has a wonderful track record with this kind of mess.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 20:42 | 6087497 HenryHall
HenryHall's picture

I hope that was fuel oil or lubricant oil of some kind.

Because transformer coolant oil is really quite toxic.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 21:43 | 6087722 Urban Redneck
Urban Redneck's picture

It probably depends on exactly what brand of transformer oil was used at this facility.  Based on the first MSDS I checked (below) Cuomo's panties are in a bunch because there is shit leaking from a nukular plant, not because the shit leaking from the nukular plant actually stinks, although with this specific product- it would stink anyway as the odor/flavor is characterized as an effervescent "mild petroleum" odor, which wonderfully complements any dish made with BP's Corexit® flavored shimp.

-- ---

1. PRODUCT AND COMPANY IDENTIFICATION

Product Name: 76 Transformer Oil

Intended Use: Insulating Oil

Synonyms: Conoco Transformer Oil, Phillips Transformer Oil

Chemical Family: Petroleum Hydrocarbon

Responsible Party: Conoco Lubricants, A Division of ConocoPhillips, 600 N. Dairy Ashford, Houston, Texas

6. ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES

This material may burn, but will not ignite readily. Keep all sources of ignition away from spill/release.Stay upwind and away from spill/release. Notify persons down wind of the spill/release, isolate immediate hazard area and keep unauthorized personnel out. Stop spill/release if it can be done with minimal risk. Wear appropriate protective equipment including respiratory protection as conditions warrant (see Section 8).

Prevent spilled material from entering sewers, storm drains, other unauthorized drainage systems, and natural waterways. Dike far ahead of spill for later recovery or disposal. Spilled material may be absorbed into an appropriate absorbent material.

Notify fire authorities and appropriate federal, state, and local agencies. Immediate cleanup of any spill is recommended. If spill of any amount is made into or upon navigable waters, the contiguous zone, or adjoining shorelines, notify the National Response Center (phone number 800-424-8802).

11. TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Hydrotreated Distillate, Light Naphthenic ..C15-30 - 64742-53-6 

Target Organs: Administration of certain mineral hydrocarbon white oils in the diet to Fischer rats at 1500 mg/kg/day for 90 days resulted in the formation of microgranulomas in the liver. However, this response was not observed in studies conducted with other rat strains or dogs. Microgranulomas like those observed in the Fischer 344 rat studies have not been observed in humans. 

Acute Data:

Hydrotreated Distillate, Light Naphthenic ..C15-30 - 64742-53-6 

 Dermal LD50 = No information available

 LC50 = No information available

 Oral LD50 = No information available

Additives - PROPRIETARY 

 Dermal LD50 = No information available

 LC50 = No information available

 Oral LD50 = No information available

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 22:19 | 6087814 A Lunatic
A Lunatic's picture

Nowhere does it say 'Do not drink' So how bad can it really be........?

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 22:48 | 6087909 A Nanny Moose
A Nanny Moose's picture

Perhaps Patrick Moore knows?

Wed, 05/13/2015 - 10:39 | 6089311 Homegrown
Homegrown's picture

Good research by Redneck, Henry not so much...  The NFPA rating for transformer oil is 0-1-0.  Unless it has PCBs, it's not toxic at all. If you've ever been around an overheated transformer of any size, you'd know that it has a distinct and overwhelming odor (as noted in the article). What does radiation smell like? What does a plume of leaking radiated fluid look like? Cause that's an oil sheen... I'll need a nuclear expert to weigh in, but does oil come in contact with radiation in a nuclear facility? A leaking/overheated transformer happens in every service territory of every utility (both private and public and serviced by every power generating technolgy) every single day. The fact that it hit water, just means that their NPDES system isn't working very well; they'll draft a letter, and be investigated by the EPA or state evironmental agency or it was a result of an over zealous fire department. Someone commented about their containment not being adequate, which would've been a requirement under SPCC regulations, so I'm guessing it was a firefighter who overwhelmed the containment.  

This is a non-story. Simple fearmongering becasue ZH likes to provide updates on Fukishima (which is a real story and a real issue) and, to get reads, made sure to highlight that it happened at a nuclear (dun dun dun!) facility right here in the good ole US of A.

I know i'm late to the comment section as this posted last night, but come on guys, use your brains and quit stirring the pot about bullshit radiation leaks.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 20:42 | 6087499 2thepeople
2thepeople's picture

Well, they HAD to report someting since There is also a "notable odor" in the vicinity of the power plant.


Tue, 05/12/2015 - 22:50 | 6087915 A Nanny Moose
A Nanny Moose's picture

As we say in Sacramento, "He who Smelt it, Delta it.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 20:45 | 6087506 Bangin7GramRocks
Bangin7GramRocks's picture

Maybe that Kennedy kid with the speech impediment was right!

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 20:46 | 6087510 petaloka
petaloka's picture

The Hudson looks pretty with the rainbow colors.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 20:47 | 6087514 i_call_you_my_base
i_call_you_my_base's picture

Hopefully it didn't kill the last fish in the Hudson.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 20:48 | 6087518 RyeWhiskey
RyeWhiskey's picture

Radication makes ya strounger!!

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 20:55 | 6087552 williambanzai7
williambanzai7's picture

This is disparaging to native Americans. Change the name.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 21:19 | 6087622 ZerOhead
ZerOhead's picture

Obama Point.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 21:24 | 6087634 willwork4food
willwork4food's picture

Can you say "CorExit"?

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 22:53 | 6087919 A Nanny Moose
A Nanny Moose's picture

GrExit, Corexit. Pretty soon you're talking about other peeplezes moneyz

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 21:03 | 6087559 Fukushima Fricassee
Fukushima Fricassee's picture

Cuomo should be forced to clean that oil slicked river with a fucking straw and prove to cocksucker in chief that he is a serious climate claimer.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 21:03 | 6087572 Augustus
Augustus's picture

The nuke operator stated that the fire supression used a form of envionmentally safe mixture of oil and proteins.  The oil sheen is not necessarily a result of the oily transformer fluid getting into the river.  Those were supposed to be contained by a catch pit.  If the foamed supression oil overflowed the pit, no problem.

 

Cuomo does not anything about the situation.  Shooting off the mouth in ignorance is his specialty.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 21:30 | 6087689 BoPeople
BoPeople's picture

Yeah, plenty of PCBs already in the Hudson. The question is whether the oil sheen glows at night.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 21:42 | 6087721 Limbs Akimbo
Limbs Akimbo's picture

 

 

That poor river is screwed from the headwaters to the sweetwaters.

 

Pity, it is such a beautiful river.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 22:21 | 6087821 djsmps
djsmps's picture

My goal is to swim in the Hudson daily to achieve super powers.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 22:54 | 6087922 A Nanny Moose
A Nanny Moose's picture

...or get Lip Fungus they ain't identified yet, while trying.

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 22:26 | 6087838 22winmag
22winmag's picture

Move along folks, nothing to see here.

 

If this was your local mechanic or junkyard spilling a few gallons of oil, they'd be nailed to the cross.

Wed, 05/13/2015 - 01:19 | 6088303 hibou-Owl
hibou-Owl's picture

The slick doesn't look that big, maybe a fraction of the oil got into the river.

My question is why wasn't the containment bund for the transformer big enough to hold the oil and any fire fighting foam.

And why was the transformer let to run to failure?

Wed, 05/13/2015 - 01:43 | 6088350 Larry Dallas
Larry Dallas's picture

Nothing good has ever come from this governor and I hope he goes the way of Christie where some scandal sinks his Presidential ambitions.

Wed, 05/13/2015 - 02:27 | 6088421 Soul Glow
Soul Glow's picture

clean energy lolz

Wed, 05/13/2015 - 02:29 | 6088423 Ms No
Ms No's picture

Just a matter of time, if we don't shut these aging nuke plants, especially the ones along fault lines, it's over.  Screw the oil spill worry about radiation. 

Thu, 05/14/2015 - 01:38 | 6092082 foghorn leghorn
foghorn leghorn's picture

Don't worry folks if its really a radiation leak the government will let us know in time so that we can evacuate in an orderely manner. After all the government always tell the truth don't it?

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