The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, which is yet another General Electric Mark 1 BWR like the Fukushima reactors is just a few miles north of us and is up for relicensing for an additional 20 years beyond it's original plan for operation.
At a Nuclear Regulatory Commission public meeting held in Plymouth this past March, I asked two NRC officials if Fukushima could happen here, and they replied YES!
That response was both honest and chilling from an federal agency with a mandate to provide for public safety.
On this past Sunday, Cape Codders and others from Western Massachusetts and Vermont were in Plymouth to deliver a letter to Entergy Nuclear Corporation (ENC) to request that they withdraw their application for relicense, store spent fuel in dry casks, and provide for economic conversion to protect their workers.
We also asked that Cape Codders be in an emergency preparedness plan as the NRC ordered the evacuation of American citizens within a 50 mile zone in Japan. ENC blocked the road a mile from the reactor. Refusing to accept our letter, the ENC officials had us arrested by the Plymouth police.
This is the same corporation which supplies Cape Codders with anti-cancer pills, KI, as part of their ongoing operation.
We now need to have Gov. Patrick step in and refuse to allow the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station to be relicensed due to the fact he cannot guarantee public safely in the event of an nuclear accident. How can we allow a corporation to hold us hostage to their profits?
A KI pill is not the solution. Shutting down the plant is. We refuse to become radiation refugees.
Thank you so much for your continued coverage and support for all the people on Cape Cod.
With peace,
Diane Turco, Harwich