Indian Point Officials: Plant Ready for Sandy

The Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan continues to operate at full power this afternoon.

That said, a number of precautions have been taken in case Hurricane Sandy's surge becomes to overwhelming, according to spokesman Jerry Nappi.

“We do things here that any industrial site might do,” Nappi said. “We have sandbags and flood pumps pre-staged in the unlikely event of flooding.”

Nappi said the buildings containing Indian Point’s safety equipment are capable of withstanding sustained winds of up to 162 miles per hour and there are some structures that are capable of withstanding as much as 300 mph of sustained winds.

The plant will begin to take steps to shut down if sustained winds reached in excess of 75 mile per hour, according to Nappi said. Winds gusts aren't expected to exceed 40 mile per hour today and tomorrow in Buchanan, according to the National Weather Service.

Nappi said the plant began storm preparation on Wednesday.

Although there are sandbags on the premises, Nappi said the facilities lower level are almost double the size of the highest water elevations experienced at the site.

Day and night shift employees are currently at the site in case road closures prevent anyone from travelling tonight and tomorrow.

“The engineers look at what we're designed to withstand and they look at the worst we’ve ever experienced," Nappi said. "This storm is expected to be well below that degree. But the operators prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”