United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-07-30 monographic deposited born digital 63 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-605 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-605 P0b002ee180391436 f:d01605 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-605 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-605 GAO-01-605 Electric utilities Emergency preparedness Federal/state relations Intergovernmental relations Nuclear powerplants Radioactive pollution Safety regulation Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant (NY) Other Written Product A01246 Consolidated Edison Company shut down the Indian Point 2 commercial nuclear power plant in February 2000 because a tube had ruptured in a steam generator, raising the possibility that radioactively contaminated water could leak into the environment. In this case, the total amount of radioactivity released posed no threat since the amount of radioactivity released was about one thousandth of the dose an individual receives from a chest X-ray. However, in the event of a more serious emergency at Indian Point 2, protecting the public from a radioactive release presents more substantial challenges because the plant is located in a heavily populated area. This report reviews issues associated with emergency preparedness protocols associated with the plant. GAO found that a more proactive approach to correct recurring weaknesses could have improved the emergency preparedness plan during the February 2000 emergency. This emergency demonstrated the importance of effective, clear communication networks, both on-site regarding the need to ensure that pagers work well to notify key personnel of an emergency, as well as off-site, regarding communication about the extent and magnitude of the emergency. Exercises, while playing a valuable role in preparing for and assessing radiological emergency readiness, more than likely will not identify the human reactions and all communications issues that could arise in a real radiological emergency. In this regard the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) interact interactions with the states for routine communications needs to be reassessed. At least for the 17 states where another entity is responsible for radiological emergency responses. The lack of knowledge by the four Indian Point counties regarding the flexibility in FEMA's regulations to spend more time at various emergency levels and its proposed streamlined exercise process demonstrate that FEMA's reliance on the state to communicate with the local communities did not work in this case. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-605/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-605.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-605/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-605.pdf GAO-01-605 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-605 Other Written Product GAO-01-605; Nuclear Regulation: Progress Made in Emergency Preparedness at Indian Point 2, but Additional Improvements Needed; Electric utilities Emergency preparedness Federal/state relations Intergovernmental relations Nuclear powerplants Radioactive pollution Safety regulation Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant (NY)