Study predicts energy price increases, dirty air if Yankee closes

Tuesday November 18, 2008
Colchester, VT

(Host) A new study says electricity would be more expensive and the air would be dirtier if the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is closed. But the study drew immediate criticism from environmentalists. They said the report used faulty methodology to skew the results.
VPR's John Dillon reports.

(Dillon) (...) James Moore of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group says the study fails to account for the dangers of nuclear waste or the plant's impact on the Connecticut River. Moore says the study uses flawed assumptions to get to its conclusion.

(Moore) "They grossly over-estimate the cost of renewable energy and the cost of energy efficiency. And they grossly under-estimate the cost that Vermont Yankee is likely to charge moving forward. And despite all of these manipulated assumptions, their worst case scenario still shows that without Vermont Yankee Vermont's rate will still be better than the average New England electrical rate."

(Dillon) Entergy Vermont Yankee has not yet told the state's utilities what its electricity will cost after 2012. So far, the company has said it will simply charge wholesale market rates.
Moore said the market price is a higher number than is assumed in the Energy Partnership study.

(Moore) "Vermont Yankee has gone on the record in front of the Public Service Board suggesting that they sell it at the going market rate -- with no premium whatsoever. For this report to assume that they're going to sell it at half the price they could get selling it elsewhere in New England is laughable."

(Dillon) But Brad Ferland said the study used reasonable numbers that were publicly available. He said the state's major utilities have asked...

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