NEWS

On July 18, 2022, following the informational meeting held in-person on June 23, 2022, Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin (PSR WI) and Nukewatch, non-profit organizations, submitted comments and questions regarding the safety performance of Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Units 1 and 2. View the letter here >> 

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View the media coverage - August 3, 2022: Point Beach: Anti-nuke groups question safety after emergency shutdown by Chris Hubbuch, Wisconsin State Journal

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EIS UPDATE

February 24, 2022: The relicensing of the Point Beach Nuclear Power Plant located near Two Rivers, Wisconsin has been paused due to a lawsuit initiated by several non-profit organizations. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a memorandum on subsequent license renewals for nuclear reactors in the United States.

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This memorandum is due to the above-mentioned lawsuit and pressure from other organizations to force the implementation of internal NRC regulations and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The NRC determined that before a subsequent license extension could be granted an updated environmental statement needed to be completed under NEPA. Thus, the Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) previously used was not adequate for a subsequent license renewal.

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“Because of the work and diligence of many organizations and citizen voices across the country, including those right here in Wisconsin, the NRC was held accountable to environmental regulations. This is a victory for all those voices,” said Hannah Mortensen, Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin (PSR WI).

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• Read Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin's press release here. 

• Read the media coverage > March 10, 2022: Nuclear regulators to reconsider environmental impact of Point Beach license extension by Chris Hubbach, Wisconsin State Journal

• Read the official NRC memorandum and order here.

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In the News

• August 3, 2022: Point Beach: Anti-nuke groups question safety after emergency shutdown by Chris Hubbch, Wisconsin State Journal

• March 11, 2022: Wisconsin nuclear power plant license extension needs more environmental review, commission says by Chuck Quirmbach, WUWM 89.7 FM 

• March 10, 2022: Nuclear regulators to reconsider environmental impact of Point Beach license extension by Chris Hubbuch, Wisconsin State Journal

• August 16, 2021: Point Beach Reactor Courts Disaster with Sirens Turned Off by John LaForge, Counter Punch

• August 11, 2021: Point Beach Nuclear Unit 1 Emergency Shut-Down aired on WORT Radio

• June 23, 2021: Critics Of Proposed Point Beach Nuclear Plant License Extension Ask Feds For In-Depth Review by Chuck Quirmbach, WUWM 89.7 FM 

• June 23, 2021: Federal Licensing Board Considers Challenge To Wisconsin's Last Nuclear Plant by Hope Kirwan, WPR

• June 15, 2021: Point Beach nuclear reactors are unsafe and unneeded, Op-ed by Paula Rogge, PSR WI Board Member, Cap Times

• March 27, 2021: Physicians group challenges license extension for Point Beach nuclear plant by Chris Hubbuch, Wisconsin State Journal

• February 18, 2021: Groups Concerned About Nuclear Power Want Questions Asked About Point Beach Plan by Chuck Quirmbach, WUWM

• January 16, 2021: Nuclear energy conflicts with cure for climate change, LTE by Amy Schulz, PSR WI President, Wisconsin State Journal

• November 18, 2020: Point Beach owner seeks to run Wisconsin's last nuclear plant for 80 years by Chris Hubbuch, Wisconsin State Journal

 

SCRAM REPORT

On Saturday, July 31, 2021, Point Beach Nuclear Reactor Unit 1 was scrammed. Scram is the sudden shutting down of a nuclear reactor, usually by rapid insertion of control rods, either automatically or manually by the reactor operator. Also known as a "reactor trip".

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We have issued a press release about the scram and our request to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for an Augmented Inspection Team to evaluate the event. The NRC has denied our request and you can view their response here >>

 

​We hired Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds Associates to provide a report of what occured. You can read it here >>

 

​Here is the event report from the NRC.

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