Trouble continues at Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, and they've attracted the attention of federal and state regulators.

The plant in Vernon remains at less than half its normal power output in the wake of a new round of problems with its cooling towers.

A top official with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission traveled from Washington to Vermont to meet yesterday with plant and state officials and participate in a conference call with Vermont's three congressional offices.

NRC Operations director William Borchardt told reporters after that meeting that a cooling tower leak discovered Friday resulted from an inadequate fix to a much bigger leak that struck one of the towers' 22 sections last August.

Borchadt said a special inspection team was looking into the latest mishap and likely would remain at Vermont Yankee through the week.