Due to variety of problems and unplanned shutdowns over the past few years, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced in early September that Entergy’s Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station’s performance rating is downgraded to a Category IV. This is only one step below mandatory shutdown by the federal government. Only one other nuclear facility has this poor of a performance rating – Arkansas Nuclear – and it is also owned by Entergy.

Read more about the safety downgrade caused by Winter Storm Juno here →

On the heels of the NRC announcement, Entergy officials have announced that Pilgrim’s closure is on the table. If Entergy cannot afford the multi-million dollar safety improvements and other updates required by federal regulators, then the plant will go offline (either permanently or temporarily). The announcement could come before the end of the year.

Here are some recent articles about the announcement:

• Pilgrim Nuclear Plant Says It May Shut Down. Boston Globe, 9/17/15.
• Pilgrim Station Official Says Plant Closure On The Table. Wicked Local Plymouth, 9/18/15.
• Entergy Warns Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant May Close After Downgraded Safety Status. Enformable.com, 9/18/15.
• Official: Pilgrim Nuclear Plant May Shut Down. Boston Herald, 9/19/15.
• Costs Cited In Possible Closure Of Pilgrim Nuclear Plant. Cape Cod Times, 9/20/15.
• Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Officials Acknowledge Shut Down Possibility. Wicked Local Plymouth, 9/21/15.