Douglas likely to veto decommissioning bill

It looks likely that Governor Jim Douglas will veto a bill relating to the decommissioning of Vermont Yankee.  The bill says that if Vermont Yankee is transferred to a new limited liability company, the new company has to prove it can cover the full cost of dismantling the plant.

The Entergy Nuclear wants to create a spin-off company to manage Vermont Yankee and four other northeastern nuclear plants and one in Michigan.

But lawmakers have questioned whether the new company will have the estimated $800 million it's likely to cost to dismantle the plant when it eventually shuts down.

Meanwhile, lawmakers today will be meeting in a conference committee to hash out what sort of inspection the plant should get before it's allowed extend its license for another 20 years.