Earthquake 2011: No Damage Reported at Indian Point Nuclear Plant

The Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, located about 35 miles north of New York City has reported there has been no damage related to the 5.9-magnitude earthquake that briefly rocked the East Coast Tuesday afternoon.

Jim Steets, a spokesman for Entergy, the parent of the company that operates the plant, said the facility has commenced “Abnormal Operating Procedures,” (AOP), which mean the is being inspected for damage.

“If there was a reason for people to take some kind of reason to protect themselves the sirens would go off,” Steets told reporters.

Jerry Nappi, another spokesman for Indian Point, said “In the control room [of the plant], the seismic monitors didn’t register to a level that would need to shut down the plant.”

Nappi added that Indian Point has several seismic protections in place, including precautions for spent fuel pools.

Reportedly, the plant can withstand at least an earthquake of at least magnitude 6.0.

Earlier this year, following the devastating earthquake/tsunami that created a nuclear emergency in Japan, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a report which said that the chance of core damage from an earthquake at Indian Point 3 is estimated at 1 in 10,000 each year.

Meanwhile, the office of the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, released the following statement: “The State Office of Emergency Management continues to monitor effects in New York State from the earthquake that originated in Virginia this afternoon. Currently, there have been no reports of damage to buildings, bridges, roads, power grids, the Indian Point nuclear power plant, or other infrastructure.