Indian Point supplies abut 20 percent
of the Big Apple’s electricity
BUCHANAN – Replacing Indian Point’s power generation will be no easy task, the executive director of the New York Affordable Reliable Electricity Alliance.
The organization’s mission is to ensure that New York has an ample and reliable electricity supply, and economic prosperity for years to come.
The two Indian Point nuclear reactors will be decommissioned under an agreement between owner Entergy, the state and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
But, replacing the power supply, about 20 percent of the New York City area’s electricity, and the 1,000 jobs at Indian Point, will be difficult to do, said New York AREA Executive Director Rob DiFrancesco.
He said even if the CPV gas-fired plant in Wawayanda is used as a power substitute, it will only solve part of the problem.
“Replacing Indian Point’s power is going to take about three to four, maybe more, natural gas plants and it is important to know that a single natural gas plant employs abo0ut 25 full-time workers whereas Indian Point’s facility employs about 1,000,” DiFrancesco said.
He said the early shutdown of Indian Point should be “transparent and thoughtful” with input from affected communities and organized labor.
“We must address both environmental and economic issues to minimize adverse impacts on the regional economy and the ecology. Believing that Indian Point’s power can simply be replaced by energy efficiency or an enormous increase in renewables is not realistic.”
