MassDEP blocks Holtec from discharging Pilgrim wastewater into Cape Cod Bay

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has dismissed an appeal by Holtec International, upholding a previous decision to block the company from discharging treated wastewater into Cape Cod Bay.

The dispute involves up to 1.1 million gallons of treated water from the former Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, which has been undergoing decommissioning since its closure in May 2019. While Holtec argued that the discharge was a viable disposal option and challenged MassDEP’s jurisdictional authority under the Atomic Energy Act, the agency maintained its denial.

Approximately 790,000 gallons of the water remain on-site following several years of evaporation. Holtec may still seek to appeal the dismissal in Massachusetts Superior Court.