Andrew Stein

Decommissioning takes center stage in first day of final Vermont Yankee hearings

The Vermont Public Service Board on Monday kicked off what's expected to be the final two weeks of hearings on whether it's in the public's best interest for Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant to obtain a new state operating permit.

“This is a very critical phase of the case,” said Geoffrey Commons, attorney and director of public advocacy at the state's Public Service Department. “We think this is the last evidentiary hearing the Public Service Board will hold before issuing its determination.”

The board began scheduled testimony with decommissioning, a hot-button topic. Critics of Vermont Yankee have warned for years that the plant contains dangerous levels of radioactive waste. Many parties have voiced concern that the plant's parent company, Entergy Corp., doesn't have adequate funds to decommission the plant and isn't planning to remove major infrastructure.

In February 2010, the Vermont Senate voted 26-4 to block Entergy from seeking a 20-year renewal of its state license. That was during Gov. Peter Shumlin's final term as senate president pro tem.

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Entergy drops federal lawsuit over backup generator

Public Service Board grants permit in response

Two days after representatives from the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant and the state of Vermont met in federal court to address a backup generator for the plant, the Public Service Board issued the project a Certificate of Public Good. In response, Vermont Yankee's parent company, Entergy Corp., is dropping...

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Public Service Board officer recommends backup generator permit for Vermont Yankee

Almost two weeks before Entergy Corp. and the state of Vermont are set to meet in federal court, a Public Service Board officer recommended giving the owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant what it wants: a permit for a backup generator. On June 4, Entergy is set...

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$5 million VTel cell service grant cut in half

A state agency has cut a $5 million telecommunications grant to Vermont Telephone Co. in half. This is the third time the Vermont Telecommunications Authority has pulled VTel grant money in recent months. On March 29, it revoked two broadband grants to VTel worth $3.4 million. The most recent decision, made at a board meeting last Friday, comes after negotiations between the VTA and the private firm VTel stalled. The $5 million cellphone grant was announced at a news conference...

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Entergy files new lawsuit against Vermont, this time over diesel backup power permit

On April 25, Vermont Yankee operator Entergy Corp. brought a new lawsuit against the state, this time over a critical piece of back-up equipment. The Louisiana-based company is arguing yet again in U.S. District Court that the state is federally preempted from regulating the plant. The company wants the federal government to intervene so that it can begin construction on a back-up diesel generator for the site by June 1. To comply with federal regulations, the nuclear plant must have...

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Vermont Yankee back up after 26-day shutdown for maintenance and refueling

The Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant booted back up April 4 after a routine refueling and maintenance outage. The plant operates on 18-month cycles with about a one-month pause for maintenance and refueling in between. Plant officials say Vermont Yankee operated for 493 days this past cycle. Vermont Yankee replaced roughly one-third of the plant's fuel assemblies, or about 368 assemblies (there are 100 fuel rods in each assembly), an electrical transformer and a large recirculation pump. Approximately 1,000 additional...

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Vermont Yankee’s safety record gets NRC approval

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently completed its 2012 performance review for the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. In a letter dated March 4, NRC Branch Chief Ronald Bellamy told Chris Wamser, site vice president of Vermont Yankee, that the plant's safety was up to par. “The NRC determined that overall, Vermont Yankee operated in a manner that preserved public health and safety and met all cornerstone objectives,” Bellamy wrote. This finding comes after former Public Service Department Commissioner Liz...

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Public Service Board takes up Entergy relicensure case

The Vermont Public Service Board kicked off two weeks of technical proceedings on Monday to determine whether Louisiana-based Entergy Corp., the owner of the 40-year-old Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon, should receive a license to continue operating the facility for 20 more years. On one side, Entergy is arguing for the plant's continued operation. On the other side, the Vermont Public Service Department, charged with representing the public interest in energy, telecommunications, water, and wastewater utility matters, is...

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