Entergy monitors Hudson River following transformer failure at Indian Point

Entergy announced last Wednesday it is taking necessary steps to mitigate potential impact to the Hudson River and the surrounding community after the May 9 transformer failure that led to the safe shutdown of Unit 3 at the company’s Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, New York.

Entergy is working with federal and state environmental protection officials, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to monitor the river.

Indian Point Unit 3 safely and automatically shut down as designed following a failure of one of two main electrical transformers at about 6 p.m. on May 9. An automatic sprinkler system and firefighters onsite extinguished the fire caused by the transformer failure. The transformer was the only plant equipment damaged. No personnel were injured and there was no radiation release. Unit 3 remains safely shutdown and Unit 2 continues to operate at 100 percent power.

Entergy Wholesale Commodities President Bill Mohl said the company is serious about its environment commitment and that that any potential spill of transformer oil violates Entergy standards. "Onsite personnel moved aggressively to mitigate any potential condition and begin an analysis of the failure," Mohl said.

Entergy environmental management professionals and contractors placed protective oil booms in the plant’s discharge canal and river to capture and mitigate fluid from reaching the river. Teams were also dispatched to begin monitoring for any fluid that may have reached the Hudson.