Feds lay out VY's relicensing process, reject joint review bid

By Kathryn Casa | Vermont Guardian

posted March 1, 2006

BRATTLEBORO — Nuclear waste storage, emergency planning and existing problems at Vermont Yankee will be excluded from the review of a 20-year license extension for the nuclear reactor, and any design flaws will be grandfathered in, Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials said Tuesday.

Member of the Vermont Yankee licensing team also said the NRC had rejected Entergy's request to conduct a joint review of Vermont Yankee and a sister reactor, Pilgrim, in Plymouth, MA. Senior project manager Johnny Eads said the NRC made that decision Tuesday in response to requests from the Plymouth selectboard and other local and state officials in Massachusetts. Vermont officials made no such requests.

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