Clean Up Underway After Oil Spill Near New York Nuclear Plant

US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) senior public affairs officer Diane Screnci said that according to Entergy, which operates Fitzpatrick, nuclear facilty, the source of the oil sheen has been identified as main turbine lubricating oil.

NEW YORK (Sputnik) — Cleanup efforts are underway after an oil sheen was spotted in Lake Ontario near the Fitzpatrick nuclear facility in the state of New York, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) senior public affairs officer Diane Screnci told Sputnik on Monday.

"According to Entergy, which operates Fitzpatrick, the source of the oil sheen has been identified as main turbine lubricating oil. The company has informed us cleanup efforts are underway," Screnci said.

US Coast Guard officials noticed a discoloration in the waters of Lake Ontario surrounding the Fitzpatrick nuclear plant on Sunday, and created a temporary safe zone to block off the affected area.

The leak at the Fitzpatrick plant, located in Scriba, New York, dumped approximately 20 to 30 gallons of oil into the lake, according an NRC official cited by local media.

Entergy announced it plans to shut down the Fitzpatrick nuclear plant at the end of 2016 in order to reduce costs.