NRC questions Yankee on decommissioning fund

(Host) The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission says Vermont Yankee has not come up with a plan to fully cover a shortfall in its decommissioning fund.

Yankee was among 30 nuclear plants that the NRC this summer said had not set aside enough money to dismantle the reactors and clean up the sites.

The federal regulators have now asked Yankee for more information on how it will add $58 million to the fund.

Neil Sheehan is a spokesman for the NRC.

(Sheehan) "We are going out for requests for additional information to further clarify what their plans entail. And in the case of Vermont Yankee we have some questions regarding the funding mechanism by which they would address the shortfall."

(Host) The fund was worth $402 million in July of this year - about $58 million less than what the NRC says is needed for decommissioning.

Sheehan said Yankee's parent company, the Entergy Corporation, planned to add $51 million in cash.

(Sheehan) But that would still leave a difference between the calculated shortfall of $58.134 million and this cash deposit. So we're seeking some clarification on exactly how they plan to address that.

(Host) A Yankee spokesman said the company has 30 days to respond to the NRC's request.