Nuke watchdog groups say it's time to close Vermont Yankee

July 19, 2008

MONTPELIER – Two nuclear watchdog groups called for the immediate shutdown of Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant on Friday, saying the latest failure at the Vernon facility is one too many.

Members of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group and the Citizens Action Network (CAN) said at a Statehouse press conference that they have lost all faith in the ability of state and federal regulators to monitor the nuclear plant.

They also called for the firing of whomever was responsible for approving the faulty fix to last year's cooling tower collapse, which officials believe led to another tower springing a significant leak earlier this month.

"Not even one year ago we got the first pictures of the catastrophic failure of one of Vermont Yankee's two cooling towers," said Paul Burns, the executive director of VPIRG. "After an event like that, you would have thought that the repairs made to the cooling towers...

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Problems at Vermont Yankee shake public confidence

Friday July 18, 2008

(Host) Critics of Vermont Yankee say the most recent problems with the nuclear plant's cooling tower show a disturbing pattern of poor management and lax state oversight. But state officials say they're not getting the cooperation they need from the plant's operators.

VPR's John Dillon reports:

(Dillon) The past week has further shaken public confidence in the 36-year-old nuclear power plant. A week ago, Yankee had to cut power by 75 percent because a pipe carrying cooling water from the Connecticut River began leaking 60 gallons a minute.

The problems came almost a year after a cooling tower collapsed at the plant. Yankee has acknowledged that the subsequent repairs were insufficient - and led to the recent problems.

But Paul Burns of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group says the state's oversight is also inadequate.

(Burns) "The state claims to have responsibility over the reliability issues at that plant. Why the heck are they not responsible for this? Why were they not in a place to say, `OK, this design fix makes sense to us.' It ought to last more than 11 months. That is insane that you are back here today, less than one year after that catastrophic failure, and you're essentially running into...

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NRC sends top official to Vermont Yankee

July 15, 2008

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission took the rare step Monday of sending its highest-ranking staff member to Vernon to monitor an agency investigation into a new cooling tower leak at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.

Bill Borchardt, the agency’s director of operations, arrived at the plant owned by Entergy Nuclear on Monday evening. He will oversee the inspection and consult with plant officials, NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said.

James Moore, an energy advocate for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, questioned whether the new leak is evidence that Entergy Nuclear is cutting corners when it comes to maintenance procedures at Vermont Yankee.

“It makes one wonder where else they’ve cut corners,” Moore said. “There seems to be a culture of not doing everything it takes to fix and secure that facility.”

Moore said he is wary of the state and NRC investigations into the leak because he views state and federal regulators as too invested in seeing the plant relicensed for an additional 20 years. He said Vermont Yankee is the 10th-oldest operating nuclear power plant in the nation and should be shut down permanently.

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Vermont Yankee reduces power

July 12, 2008

A leak was discovered Friday in one of the cooling towers of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, prompting the company to cut down to 47 percent of its operating capacity and launch an investigation into the cause.

The incident raised concerns about how something could go wrong with a cooling tower that was inspected and repaired just last year following a dramatic collapse of a companion cooling tower at the Vernon plant.

Vermont Yankee owner Entergy Nuclear has applied for permission to run the plant for another 20 years. The state Public Service Board this month opened proceedings to consider whether it should grant a certificate of public good. Entergy also needs the state Legislature’s permission to keep operating after 2012. Lawmakers are expected to consider that next year.

James Moore, clean energy advocate for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, is among those who opposes continued operation of the plant. He said Friday’s leak is another reason why the plant should be shut down.

“They assured Vermonters that following last year’s tower collapse they did an overhaul and repairs,” Moore said. “At some point we need to say enough is enough.”

Moore said he doesn’t trust Vermont Yankee’s description of the leak as “small” after last year’s tower collapse. “The fact is their credibility on what’s a small leak is...

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Yankee cooling tower has a leak, just as state review of the plant gets underway

Friday July 11, 2008

(Host) The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant has cut its power output because of a leak in one of its cooling towers. The mishap comes as state regulators began a review this week into whether the plant should operate for another 20 years. VPR's John Dillon reports:

(Dillon) The hearing at the Public Service Board offered a preview of Yankee's case. And it boils down to money. The owners of Vermont Yankee make the economic argument that what's good for the company is good for the state of Vermont.

They point to a profit sharing deal that could bring $750 million to Vermont utilities over 10 years. Entergy - the Louisiana company that owns the Vernon plant - wants the Public Service Board to count those dollars as part of Yankee's economic benefit to the state.

But critics say the state shouldn't be banking on an aging nuclear plant. James Moore is with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. He says the $750 million Yankee profit sharing deal amounts to about $4 a month savings for consumers over 20 years. Moore questions the plant's continued safety and reliability.

(Moore) "The short term bribe of you can save a few dollars a month in your electricity bill is far outweighed by the cost that we would be passing on to future generations of Vermonters in nuclear waste, in cleanup, and in risk association with running one of the oldest reactors in the country.''

(Dillon) A cooling tower at Vermont Yankee collapsed last summer, an accident that prompted...

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Groups rally for health care reform

July 9, 2008

MONTPELIER – A new coalition of groups and advocates announced Tuesday it will work to make health care reform a central issue in Congress and in this year's elections.

The announcement was made in dozens of cities around the country, including in Montpelier.

The organization of groups that collectively represents millions of Americans, including labor unions, public policy advocates and minority organizations, is not yet endorsing any national legislation.

But the group will look for bills in Congress that support its goals, said Stefanie Sidortsova, of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, one of the alliance's members.

The goal is to "guarantee quality affordable health care we can all count on," she said.

"Our members are getting mobilized" to raise money, question candidates and lobby, Sidortsova said.

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Vermont Groups Join National Effort for Health Care Reform

MONTPELIER, VT (2008-07-08)
An effort was launched Tuesday across the country that organizers hope will lead to significant health care reform in the next session of Congress. Groups in every state, including Vermont, plan to launch a grassroots effort to push passage of legislation. WAMC's North Country Bureau

Chief Pat Bradley has more.

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Vt. officials lead on system for carbon emissions

July 6, 2008

MONTPELIER – Our small, cold state has had an outsized role to play on a hot issue: global climate change.

Vermont has been instrumental in shaping the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which is designed to help the Northeast aggressively cut its carbon pollution levels. Scientists say these emissions from fossil fuel consumption, such as vehicular traffic, contribute to global warming.

RGGI has kinks that need to be worked out, said James Moore of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

One worry, for instance, is whether so many carbon credits are being offered that the program will not be effective at reducing carbon pollution as quickly as possible.

Still, Vermont has set a good precedent, Moore said.

"We really kind of led the way in terms of putting a cap-and-trade system in place that requires polluters to pay...

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