Nuclear Accident at Indian Point: Consequences and Costs

[madokie]

http://www.nrdc.org/nuclear/indianpoint/files/NRDC-1336_Indian_Point_FSr8medium.pdf

The catastrophic accident at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in March 2011 has resulted
in a global re-examination of the safety of nuclear power and teaches us a lot about the risks of
continued operation at the Indian Point reactor in New York. Just in the spring and summer of 2011, five
nuclear power plants in the United States were damaged and underwent emergency shutdown due to
flooding, earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes. A review of the potential radiological consequences
of a nuclear accident at Indian Point, the seismic hazards in its location, and cost estimates of a
hypothetical accident shows just how dangerous the situation is.

Among the 104 operating U.S. nuclear reactors, the two
units at Indian Point, 34 miles north of Central Park, pose
heightened risks. Very large populations could be exposed
to radiation in a major accident, the reactors are located in
a seismically active area, and their owner currently seeks
to extend the reactors’ lives beyond their engineered 40-
year lifespan.

An accident at Indian Point Unit 3 on the scale of
Fukushima Daiichi could require the sheltering or
evacuation of as many as 5.6 million people due to
a fallout plume blown south to the New York City
metropolitan area. People in the path of the plume
would be at risk for receiving a whole-body radiation
dose greater than 1 rem, which for an average individual
results in a 0.3 percent increase in risk of premature
death from cancer. An accident of this scale would
require the administration of stable iodine to more than
six million people (where people would be at risk for
receiving a thyroid radiation dose greater than 10 rad).

An accident at Indian Point Unit 3 involving a full reactor
core melt approaching the scale of Chernobyl could put
people in New York City at risk for receiving a whole-
body radiation dose greater than 25 rem, resulting in a 7
percent increase in risk of premature death from cancer

[Demeter]

1. Not that that will change any official minds

but it gives us a chance to say: "I told you so!"

Those of us left, that is.

Maybe the officials will be the first to go.

[hunter]

2. The immortals are taking bets now... How does New York City end?

Collapse of Civilization by climate change and resource depletion?

Plague? (Includes Zombie Apocalypse.)

Rising Oceans and Stronger Storms?

Nuclear Accident?