NRC urges angry citizenry to participate in VY licensing

By Kathryn Casa | Vermont Guardian

posted March 2, 2006

BRATTLEBORO — The marquee at the Latchis cinema Wednesday night read “Match Point,” “New World,” “NRC” — but inside, it was pure political theater.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was back in town, this time to talk to the public about a 20-year license renewal for Vermont Yankee when the nuclear reactor’s current 40-year license expires in 2012.

Senior Project Manager Johnny Eads said the NRC was in town to regain the public trust that has eroded during a three-year regulatory odyssey in which area residents said federal officials turned a deaf ear to their opposition of a 20 percent power uprate at the Vernon reactor. The uprate is widely expected to be approved by the NRC today when the agency issues its final evaluation of the uprate proposal.

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