On March 4th 2015, the Manhattan-based chapter of the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN-New York) went on a tour of Indian Point Energy Center (IPEC) in Buchanan, NY. During this time, one of the two reactors was undergoing refueling. After hours of lessons on radiation and the various parts of the plant, the group got to observe first-hand the components inside one of the containment vessels along with other components such as the steam turbines and generators.
The group gained a strong appreciation for the redundancy in security and safety measures the plant takes to protect its workers and the surrounding environment. Cesar Penafiel, a master’s degree candidate at the Columbia School of International Public Affairs (SIPA), who joined the tour said, “The tour gave us wide first-hand exposure to the tremendous amount of security and care that is taken. I would highly encourage anyone—pro or anti-nuclear—to go see the facility and witness this amazing source of power.”
Besides NAYGN, other organizations represented on the tour included The Cooper Union, Columbia University School of International Public Affairs (SIPA) and Exelon Corporation. NAYGN – New York will be organizing another tour of IPEC in the summer of 2015. IPEC currently supplies approximately 25% of the electricity in New York City and Westchester County in a way that is clean, reliable, and affordable. It is for these reasons that NAYGN-New York advocates for the continued safe operation of Indian Point Energy Center.
