Indian Point Energy Center
Indian Point Energy Center (I.P.E.C.) is a now defunct three-unit nuclear power station located in Buchanan, just south of Peekskill, in Westchester County, New York. It sits on the east bank of the Hudson River, about 36 miles (58 km) north of Midtown Manhattan. The facility permanently ceased power operations on April 30, 2021. Before its closure, the station's two operating reactors generated about 2,000 megawatts (MWe) of electrical power, about 25% of New York City's usage. The station is owned by Holtec International, and consists of three permanently deactivated reactors, Indian Point Units 1, 2, and 3. Units 2 and 3 were Westinghouse pressurized water reactors. Entergy purchased Unit 3 from the New York Power Authority in 2000 and Units 1 and 2 from Consolidated Edison in 2001.
| Indian Point Energy Center | |
|---|---|
Holtec Indian Point Energy Center (I.P.E.C.) seen from across the Hudson River | |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Buchanan, Westchester County, New York State |
| Coordinates | 41°16′11″N 73°57′8″W |
| Status | Inactive (Under Decommissioning Process) |
| Construction began | Unit 1: May 1, 1956 Unit 2: October 14, 1966 Unit 3: November 1, 1968 |
| Commission date | Unit 1: October 1, 1962 Unit 2: August 1, 1974 Unit 3: August 30, 1976 |
| Decommission date | Unit 1: October 31, 1974 Unit 2: April 30, 2020 Unit 3: April 30, 2021 |
| Construction cost | $2.450 billion (2007 USD, Units 2–3 only) ($3.47 billion in 2023 dollars) |
| Owner(s) | Holtec International |
| Operator(s) | Holtec International |
| Nuclear power station | |
| Reactor type | PWR |
| Reactor supplier | Westinghouse |
| Cooling source | Hudson River |
| Thermal capacity | 1 × 615 MWth (decommissioned) 1 × 3216 MWth (decommissioned) 1 × 3216 MWth (decommissioned) |
| Power generation | |
| Make and model | Units 2–3: WH 4-loop (DRYAMB) |
| Units decommissioned | 1 × 257 MW 1 × 1020 MW 1 × 1040 MW |
| Nameplate capacity | 1040 MW |
| Capacity factor | 84.50% (2017) 73% (lifetime) |
| Annual net output | 15,249 GWh (2017) |
| External links | |
| Website | https://holtecinternational.com/communications-and-outreach/indian-point/ |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
The original 40-year operating licenses for Units 2 and 3 expired in September 2013 and December 2015, respectively. Entergy had applied for license extensions and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was moving toward granting a twenty-year extension for each reactor. However, due to a number of factors including sustained low wholesale energy prices that reduced revenues, as well as pressure from local anti-nuclear groups and then-Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo, it was announced that the plant would shut down by 2021. The plant permanently stopped generating energy on April 30, 2021. About 1,000 employees lost their jobs as a result of the shutdown.
As a result of the permanent shutdown of the plant, three new greenhouse gas generating natural-gas fired power plants were built: Bayonne Energy Center, CPV Valley Energy Center, and Cricket Valley Energy Center, with a total capacity of 1.8 GW, replacing 90% of the 2.0 GW of carbon-free electricity previously generated by the plant. As a consequence, New York is expected to struggle to meet its climate goals. New York City's greenhouse gas emissions from electricity have increased from approximately 500 to 900 tons of CO2 per MWh from 2019 to 2022 as a result of the closure.
Unit 3 currently holds the world record for the longest uninterrupted operating period for a light water commercial power reactor. This record is 753 days of continuous operation, and was set on April 30, 2021 for the operating cycle beginning on April 9, 2019. Unit 3 operated at or near full output capacity for the entire length of the cycle. This record was previously held by Exelon's LaSalle Unit 1 with a record of 739 continuous days, set in 2006.