VT DPS finds that Entergy has broken its promises to the State of Vermont, urges rejection of CPG
The Vermont Public Service Board (PSB) is conducting a proceeding considering whether or not Entergy Nuclear is worthy of a renewed Certificate of Public Good (CPG) to operate the Vermont Yankee (VY) atomic reactor during a 20-year license extension. The extension was rubber-stamped by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) just days after the nuclear catastrophe began at Fukushima Daiichi, Japan, involving identical twin reactor designs to VY: General Electric Mark I boiling water reactors. VY's original 40-year license expired on March 21, 2012, but the reactor continues to operate, based on a federal judge's ruling in Jan. 2012 that Vermont had illegally encroached on NRC's exclusive regulatory jurisdiction over radiological safety, when the State Senate voted, 26 to 4, in Feb. 2010 to block VY's license extension.
Echoing State of Vermont political leaders' accusation that New Orleans-based Entergy Nuclear is "a rogue corporation," on Jan. 25, 2013, Geoffrey Commons, Director of Public Advocacy at the Vermont Department of Public Service, speaking on behalf of Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin's administration, filed a strongly worded brief in the PSB proceeding. He highlighted that "Entergy Has Breached lts Promise Not to Operate the VY Station After March 12, 2012 Without a Renewed CPG," stating:
"Reduced to its core, this issue demonstrates that Entergy, as a business, is prepared to promise whatever it takes to achieve its immediate business objectives, and, is prepared to violate such promises if honoring them would be inconsistent with subsequent business objectives."
Commons concluded:
"The Board should not issue a new CPG for the VY station to a business that conducts itself as Entergy has here. Entergy is asking that the Board permit it to profit from the operation of the VY Station, and now contends that the Board can have no meaningful say in that operation, despite the fact that Vermont necessarily will bear many costs and consequences relating to the station's operation, and despite Entergy's explicit contrary promises. This attempt to derogate the authority of the Board and the citizens of Vermont should be rejected."
The Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance has pointed out the continued opportunity to comment on the PSB's Docket #7862 regarding Entergy's request for a Certificate of Public Good:
"If you didn't get a chance to testify at the PSB's Nov. 19 public hearing there is still an opportunity to voice your support for the PSB's denial of a Certificate of Public Good for Entergy's Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.
You can send your comments to: Vermont Public Service Board; 112 State Street; Montpelier, Vermont 05620 -2701; Attn: Docket #7862.
Or email: psb.clerk@state.vt.us.
Or phone: (802) 828-2358."
Citizens Awareness Network (CAN) has provided "Nine Good Reasons for PSB to Deny Entergy a CPG," which can be used to prepare your own comments.
Even those not residing in Vermont are encouraged to weigh in with the PSB. Revelations of Entergy Nuclear misdeeds elsewhere in the U.S. would be especially valuable, showing why Entergy should be denied a CPG to operate VY for 20 more years.
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