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Apr 19, 2006 2:00 pm US/Eastern
High Safety Rating For Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant
PLYMOUTH (CBS4) ―
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The 34-year-old plant provides electricity for 670,000 homes
CBS
The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth has received high marks from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the agency's annual report card.
The NRC determined there were no findings of harm in 2005 in more than 5,500 hours of inspection.
"We have carefully reviewed the safety performance of the Pilgrim nuclear power plant," said NRC Administrator Samuel J. Collins in an April 10 statement.The inspectors found issues of "very low safety significance."
But the site's detractors say the NRC's report is no more than a rubber stamp. They say the findings do not prove that the nuclear site is safe.
The plant has had problems before. On February 26th, 2004 a control power fuse spontaneously burst on February 26th, 2004, NRC also found the plant in violation of regulations.
In July of the same year, the NRC issued a severity level III violation regarding "an inattentive control room worker," who –according to The Cape Cod Times --reportedly fell asleep on the job.
Some Massachusetts residents and activists fear the nuclear plant could be the site of a future terrorist attack.The station's opponents also say that radiation leaks from the site is dangerous, contributes to global warming and creates tons of nuclear waste.
Pilgrim Station's license to operate expires on June 8, 2012, but the plant is applying for an extension of another 20 years.
The 34-year-old plant, which can produce 670 megawatts of power, provides electricity for about 670-thousand homes.
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