Pilgrim Nuclear

The commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is reviewing the adjudicator's nearly 60-page recommended decision, which only she has the authority to finalize. Once she acts, the matter could go to court.

Work is scheduled to begin next week to remove the last internal components of the Pilgrim nuclear reactor from a storage pool as part of the ongoing demolition and cleanup of the Plymouth plant.

Six staffers from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission — five in person, one on video — spoke before the state Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens’ Advisory Panel.

For the health study, researchers will place air monitors in several locations around the community. Then, they'll compare people who live in the most highly affected areas with a control group.

CAI reporter Jennette Barnes interviews Petros Koutrakis, professor of environmental sciences at Harvard, on new research about cancer risk near nuclear power plants.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has committed to provide a speaker to review relevant cancer studies at a future meeting of the Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens' Advisory Panel.

Staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will not be speaking Monday as planned.

The finding marks a victory for opponents of the water discharge, but it's only a recommendation until the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection reviews the ruling and issues a final decision.

Likely topics of discussion include water contamination, the role of host communities, and the storage of spent nuclear fuel, which will continue at Pilgrim indefinitely.

The company that owns the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station is responding to questions from a state panel about how Pilgrim treats radioactive water inside the plant to reduce pollution.