Demonstrators Demand Nuclear Plant Shut Down After Radiation Leaks
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Dozens of protesters demonstrated outside of a Florida Power & Light facility concerning leaks at the nuclear power plant at Turkey Point.
It took place Saturday morning at 4200 W. Flagler Street and comes after the company announced that customers will shell out an estimated $50 million this year alone for the cleanup of hypersaline water coming from the plant.
Environmental advocates are worried that the leaking wastewater containing radioactive isotopes is a threat to drinking water from the Biscayne aquifer.
They want the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station shut down.
"When our bay goes acidified, when our fish start dying, which they already are, and when are habitat goes away because of this wonderful Turkey Point plant that we have, which is a reactor that came online in 1972, an outdated reactor, it's time to retire," said protester Albert Gomez.
Others believe FPL is hiding something.
"They're not coming clean with what's really going on at Turkey Point and their deceptive behavior on the solar initiatives. They sabotaged the citizen's solar initiative and they got this scam solar amendment on the ballot in November. It's a fake," said Steve Malagodi, president of 350 South Florida, a group dedicated to climate change issues.
FPL said cleanup includes drilling extraction wells to remove the hypersaline water west of Turkey Point, as well as four other isolated channels in Biscayne Bay.
FPL released a statement in reaction to the protests:
"It is unfortunate that the media gives credibility to these activists who are more concerned with - in their own words - "political theater" than getting educated on the facts, which are absent from the allegations they have made about FPL. First and most importantly, it is indisputable that FPL's Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant continues to operate safely as it has for more than 40 years, generating zero-carbon energy to power hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses throughout South Florida. The saltwater challenges involving the cooling canal system outside of the plant are not impacting the safety of the plant or public health. Working hand-in-hand with our partners at local and state agencies, as well as respected environmental organizations, FPL scientists continue to implement environmentally responsible, data-driven, science-based solutions.
FPL is one of the cleanest utilities in the country, thanks in part to our zero-emissions nuclear generation, and our low carbon profile is already cleaner today than the high target rate that the EPA has set for Florida to meet by 2030. We are, and have been, the undisputed leader in solar in Florida and we are adding 1 million solar panels this year alone. The inconvenient truth for these protesters is that combined with our sister company, NextEra Energy Resources, we produce more electricity from wind and solar than anyone in the world."
