Dive Brief:
- A transformer failure on Saturday at Entergy's Indian Point nuclear plant in Buchanan, New York, caused a fire that shut down the facility's Unit 3 reactor, according to multiple reports.
- The Unit 3 reactor remains shut down. An Entergy spokesman told the New York Times that the reactor is safe and stable.
- The fire caused transformer oil to spill into the Hudson River. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said officials are not yet sure exactly how much oil leaked. The New York Times said at least "thousands of gallons" of oil leaked.
Dive Insight:
Black smoke billowing from a nuclear plant is never a good sign, but officials say the Indian Point facility is not in any danger. Entergy is not yet sure what caused the transformer fire and is investigating the situation further. It's unclear whether the transformer in question will need to be replaced or repaired — as well as how long Unit 3 will be out.
A spokesman for Entergy told the New York Times it could be "a few weeks" until Unit 3 is back online. The 1,041 MW reactor provides about a quarter of the power consumed by Westchester County and New York City and has been in service since the 1970s. NBC 4 reports that local customers could see higher power prices in the weeks to come if the plant cannot be brought online quickly
