Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant - Closure/extension Planning

Closure/extension Planning

Entergy Vermont Yankee applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license extension of 20 years on January 27, 2006. In early 2010, the Vermont State Senate voted 26–4 to block the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) from considering continued operation of Vermont Yankee.

On May 20, 2010, the NRC released a report on Vermont Yankee:

Based on the results of this inspection, the NRC determined that Entergy-Vermont Yankee (ENVY) appropriately evaluated the contaminated ground water with respect to off-site effluent release limits and the resulting radiological impact to public health and safety; and that ENVY complied with all applicable regulatory requirements and standards pertaining to radiological effluent monitoring, dose assessment, and radiological evaluation. No violations of NRC requirements or findings of significance were identified.

On March, 10, 2011 the NRC voted to conclude proceedings regarding renewal of the operating license for the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station near Brattleboro, Vermont, for an additional 20 years. The NRC issued the renewed license on March 21, 2011. The renewed license will expire March 21, 2032.

On March 21, 2011 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued their renewal of the operating license for the Vermont Yankee plant for an additional 20 years.; the renewed license will expire March 21, 2032.

On April 14, 2011 Entergy, the owner of Vermont Yankee sued the state of Vermont to stay open despite the Senate's blocking vote.

The nuclear plant's private owners filed a federal lawsuit on April 18, 2011, against a state law that gives the Vermont state legislature veto power over operation of the reactor when its current license expires March 2012.