VT Ready To Fight Effort To Keep Yankee Open

Vermont's attorney general says the state is preparing for a legal battle if the owner of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant tries to keep it running after its license expires.

Attorney General William Sorrell says he and his staff are preparing their legal strategy if plant owner Entergy Nuclear ignores the state's refusal to authorize it to operate after 2012 when its current license expires.

Last month the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission extended the Vernon plant's license for 20 years.

When Entergy bought the plant in 2002, it agreed it would seek permission from the state to operate beyond 2012.

But some feel Entergy could argue state law can't pre-empt the federal license issued by the NRC and sue the state of Vermont to keep operating.