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Vermont Senate Wants Entergy Reactor Shut in 2012

The Vermont Senate said on Wednesday it has voted to shut Entergy Corp's Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant when its license expires in 2012, after a leak releasing radioactive tritium into the groundwater was discovered last month.


While the Obama administration advocates a nuclear revival to reduce dependency on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions, opponents of Vermont Yankee have used the leak to show Entergy is not operating the reactor safely and that it license should not be renewed.


Entergy applied with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2006 to renew the 40 year operating license for the plant, which began operations in 1972, for an additional 20 years.


"The effort to win a 20-year renewal of Vermont Yankee's operating license is far from over," Entergy said in a statement.


"We remain determined to prove our case to the legislature, state officials and the Vermont public."


If the vote is upheld, it would be the first time in more than 20 years that a state legislature has acted to shut down a reactor.

Let's hope this is the beginning of a new trend - pay attention Prez Obama! Your nuke bailout/loan is not welcomed.