Closing Pilgrim

A 2019 series of stories on the closing of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth.

The closure of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station removes a source of carbon-free energy from the region. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

State Reaches Deal With Pilgrim Owners On Cleanup

Agreement ensures financial, environmental, and public safety protections during the dismantlement and cleanup of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth

Local Coverage

Jun 17, 2020

Activists form a circle outside the gates of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station to share their thoughts on the day as the plant ceased power production. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Photos: Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Shuts Down

On Friday at 5:28 p.m., the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth shut down its reactor, forever.

Local Coverage

04:47May 31, 2019

Entergy's Chiltonville Training Center is an identical twin mock-up of the control room at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

In An Identical Simulator, Pilgrim Operators Prep For Shutdown

The Plymouth nuclear plant is shutting down for good. Reactor operators train for "cold shutdown" at a nearby training center.

Local Coverage

07:25May 31, 2019

Spent fuel casks at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Pilgrim Is Closing. So Then What Happens To The Radioactive Waste?

The powering-down process is called decommissioning, and a lot of people are worried about safety, cost and where the nuclear material will finally end up.

Local Coverage

06:45May 30, 2019

In this photo, circa 1971, the 525-ton, 65-foot-tall reactor vessel arrives by boat at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. (Courtesy U.S. Department of Energy)

Timeline: The 52-Year History Of The Pilgrim Nuclear Plant

The Plymouth plant has been a controversial fixture Massachusetts for more than five decades. But on May 31, the plant will produce its last watt and shut down for good....

Local Coverage

08:30May 29, 2019

You Asked, We Answered: Questions About The Pilgrim Shutdown

From spent fuel storage to the future of our energy mix, here are the answers to your questions about the closing of Plymouth's nuclear plant.

Local Coverage

May 28, 2019

Signs warn of radiation and restrict access to working areas above the reactor at Pilgrim. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

As Pilgrim Powers Down, Some Worry It Will Leave Behind Too Much Radiation

The Plymouth nuclear plant releases small amounts of radiation as part of its normal operation. As it prepares to shut down, some worry about what will be left behind.

Local Coverage

05:35Apr 25, 2019

The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Historic Plymouth Looks To A Future Without Pilgrim

The nuclear plant is shutting down for good. And Plymouth -- known as "America's Hometown" -- will have to adjust to life post-Pilgrim.

Local Coverage

10:11Apr 24, 2019

The Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station, in the town of Vernon, is seen in a 2013 file photo. (Toby Talbot/AP)

This Vermont Town Took A Big Hit When Its Nuclear Plant Closed

Vermont Yankee closed five years ago, and its host community of Vernon has had a rough adjustment to its new social and economic reality. There may be lessons for Plymouth...

Local Coverage

09:55Apr 23, 2019

The discharge canal at Pilgrim, where water used for cooling at the plant is released back into Cape Cod Bay. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

For 46 Years, Pilgrim Nuclear Plant Has Used Water From Cape Cod Bay. How Has It Impacted The Ecosystem?

The nuclear plant in Plymouth is closing in May. Here's what we know about how its cooling water system has affected marine life in Cape Cod Bay.

Local Coverage

07:24Apr 22, 2019