Nuclear watchdog group appeals Pilgrim plant ruling

A nuclear watchdog group has appealed a ruling by federal regulators that clears the way for a 20-year extension of the Pilgrim nuclear power plant's operating license.

The appeal, filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by Pilgrim Watch president Mary Lampert, argues that a three-member panel misinterpreted legal precedents when it ruled last month that the Plymouth plant's management plan adequately protects against potential radioactive leaks.

The three-member panel also rejected the Duxbury group's contention that Pilgrim needs more underground monitors to detect any leaks of radioactive liquids in buried pipes and tanks.

Pilgrim Watch also appealed earlier rulings by the panel that threw out objections to the on-site storage of nuclear waste at Pilgrim and arguments about security threats posed by terrorism or natural disaster.

The plant's current license to operate expires in 2012, and the NRC has the final say on relicensing.
(By Robert Knox, Globe correspondent)