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Mass. Delegation Seeks Details on Seabrook Nuclear Plant's Pandemic Operations

Dan Tuohy
/
NHPR

Members of Congress from Massachusetts want details on how Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant is handling COVID-19.

Seabrook Station is currently offline and in the midst of a periodic refueling. That process requires a large extra workforce.

The plant’s owner, NextEra, has said it’s operating under its pandemic plan but it hasn’t offered more details.

Now, Massachusetts U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Congressman Seth Moulton of Salem, Mass., are asking for that plan.

The delegation wrote to NextEra and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission this week. They also want details on any federal coronavirus exemptions that NextEra is planning to request.

Activists with Seabrook watchdog groups like C-10 have raised similar concerns in recent weeks, about how the pandemic may affect the plant or put workers at risk.

Federal regulators have already said some nuclear plants can ask to have employees work longer shifts during the pandemic.

Annie has covered the environment, energy, climate change and the Seacoast region for NHPR since 2017. She leads the newsroom's climate reporting project, By Degrees.
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