(Host) The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was in Brattleboro Wednesday. The agency is evaluating Entergy-Vermont Yankee’s application to extend its license for another 20 years. It’s now set to expire in 2012.
The NRC was taking public comment on its recently released draft environmental study.’ The preliminary report says the impact of a 20-year extension would be small.’
Richard Emch of the NRC says replacing the plant’s 650 megawatts would have a worse environmental impact.
(Emch) “The team looked at new generation from coal fired, gas fired and new nuclear, other technologies such as oil, wood, wind, solar and hydro power. The team’s preliminary conclusion is that the environmental impacts of the alternatives would reach moderate to large significance in at least some impact categories, primarily due to the need for new construction.”
(Keese) Supporters of the relicensing called nuclear power a green industry. Opponents say that storing radioactive is anything but green.
Deb Katz of Massachusetts was one of several antinuclear activists who accused the NRC of catering to the nuclear industry.
(Katz) “And what we have to do at this point, because there is no ability to get satisfaction from the NRC or the federal government, is turn to the state of Vermont. Because the state of Vermont can reject Vermont Yankee, can in fact pass a green energy portfolio in this session, which is on the table to do, and in fact transform the course of energy production not just for Vermont but for Massachusetts new Hampshire and Maine because all of these states get power from Vermont Yankee.”
(Host) The Legislature voted last year to retain the final say on Yankee’s relicensing.
At the request of Vermont’s three Congressional delegates, the NRC will also brief lawmakers on its environmental findings in Montpelier later today.