Legislative Leaders Say Administration Should Oppose Enexus

(Host) Legislative leaders say the Douglas administration should withdraw its support for a new company that hopes to buy the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant.

The new company is called Enexus. It would be created as a spin-off by the Entergy Corporation, and would own Vermont Yankee and five other plants. The Douglas administration has backed the plan, which is under review at the Vermont Public Service Board.

But House Speaker Shap Smith warned that the new company may not be able to pay to clean up radiation leaks recently discovered at Vermont Yankee.

(Smith) "At this point in time, we do not know what the cost of decommissioning the plant will be, and it is inappropriate to allow Entergy to move that cost over to another company where we know they don't have a sound balance sheet."

(Host) Senate President Peter Shumlin said radioactive leaks at other plants have significantly increased clean-up and decommissioning costs.

(Shumlin) "If our decommissioning costs were to double, you certainly wouldn't want Enexus, a highly speculative and debt-ridden company, being the one responsible for picking up the additional tab."

(Host) The legislative leaders also called on the administration to be more open with the public about Vermont Yankee issues.