Options
VPR's John Dillon reports:
(Dillon) The Atomic Safety and Licensing Board held hearings last summer on a number of issues related to the reactor's aging components.
The New England Coalition citizen's group questioned the methodology used to calculate the impact of metal fatigue in the 37-year-old plant.
But the board this week dismissed the final challenge.
Rob Williams is a Yankee spokesman.
(Williams) "This decision concludes a three-year-long process - in fact it was more than three years-and it gave a fair hearing to the contentions that were raised by the intervenors. It basically considered whether our maintenance programs are adequate for the long term under a renewed operating license."
(Dillon) Ray Shadis of the New England Coalition said he was not surprised by the board's ruling, since the NRC has approved every application for a license extension.
He said the board did require Entergy Vermont Yankee to recalculate the effects of metal fatigue.
(Shadis) "What they were forced to do was to go back and re-do their analyses using a finer screen, a finer sieve. So to the extent that it was an improvement over what they had offered initially for analysis, yes, it makes the plant just that much less dangerous."
(Dillon) Yankee officials say they expect that the full, five-member Nuclear Regulatory Commission will approve the license extension later this year.
But under Vermont law, the license extension still requires approval from the state Legislature.
For VPR News, I'm John Dillon in Montpelier.
VPR Headlines
- Few Schools Propose Budget Increases Tuesday, 02/09/10 7:34am
- Dartmouth To Accept Haitian Students Tuesday, 02/09/10 7:04am
- NH Panel To Act On Same-Sex Marriage Repeal Measures Tuesday, 02/09/10 6:06am
- Budget Committees Take Testimony About Cuts Tuesday, 02/09/10 6:06am
- Burlington Teacher Contract Under Negotiation Tuesday, 02/09/10 6:06am
Vermont Edition
- 'The Last Station' And Last Days Of Leo Tolstoy Tuesday, 02/09/10 Noon and 7pm
- Vermont Catholics And The Modern Church Monday, 02/08/10 Noon and 7pm
- Ban Considered on Texting While Driving Friday, 02/05/10 Noon and 7pm
Commentaries
More from John Dillon
FairPoint Sees Its Debt Cut In Reorganization Plan
Monday, 02/08/10 5:50pm and Tuesday, 02/09/10 6:34am - VPR News
Tritium Levels Are Highest Yet Found At Vermont Yankee
Friday, 02/05/10 5:51pm - VPR News
Yankee Getting Closer To Finding Source Of Radiation Leak
Thursday, 02/04/10 5:51pm and Friday, 02/05/10 7:04am - VPR News
Top Executive At Entergy Is Reassigned
Tuesday, 02/02/10 5:51pm and Wednesday, 02/03/10 7:04am - VPR News
New Tritium Levels Highest Yet
Tuesday, 02/02/10 7:34am - VPR News
© Copyright 2009, VPR
This is the online edition of VPR News. Text versions of VPR news stories may be updated and they may vary slightly from the broadcast version.