Dr. Daniel Marx

In praise of ‘a wise mix’

In my opinion, it is not a good idea to turn the Vermont Yankee site into a so-called “green field,” whatever that means. The site is much too valuable as an electricity generating center or hub.

All of the essential infrastructure and components are already in place, most going back to 1972 and before. These include the transmission switchyard, substation, big transformers, cooling water intake and discharge structures, aquatic and terrestrial environmental assessments, geologic and seismic assessments, groundwater studies - the list could go on and on.

The site should remain ready to accommodate future electricity generation possibilities, including photovoltaic solar, natural gas, biomass, a new generation of advanced, passively cooled/safe, small, modular, standardized fission reactors, or maybe, someday in the distant future, a demonstration/test nuclear fusion reactor.

VY has been a good plant - low-impact, virtually zero carbon emissions for the past 40 years - but it is old technology and should retire and make way for the future.

Read More