Feds: Tritium leak not enough to close Vermont Yankee

[wtmusic]

"Vermont lawmakers exploring their options in responding to leaking radioactive tritium at Vermont Yankee nuclear plant are hearing from federal regulators.

A team of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials briefed three legislative committees today in a joint hearing held in Montpelier.

The NRC’s John White says Vermont Yankee’s problems haven’t approached any regulatory threshold that would require the plant to be shut down while the source of the leak — reported Jan. 7 — is sought."

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20100212feds_tritium_leak_not_enough_to_close_vermont_yankee/srvc=home&position=recent

[FiveGoodMen]

1. So glad that we're talking about building more of these...

Change we really should avoid.

[NNadir]

3. I know I am. It would take a lot of tritium to make this plant as dangerous as a banana.

http://www.rerowland.com/K40.html

[Tikki]

2. NRC & DOE's approach to damage done is: "When they all glow, we'll know"..

The Tikkis

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. Action Against Vermont Yankee Could Trigger Lawsuit

http://www.wptz.com/politics/22581497/detail.html

Action Against Vermont Yankee Could Trigger Lawsuit

Shumlin Says License Vote Coming Soon

POSTED: 2:22 pm EST February 16, 2010
UPDATED: 7:32 pm EST February 17, 2010

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- With Vermont lawmakers poised to vote next week on whether to relicense the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, questions are being raised about the potential for a federal lawsuit should the Legislature vote against the plant.

Some experts said the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission has exclusive authority over a nuclear plant's safety, and that the state can't say no to Vermont Yankee re-licensing based on safety issues.

So lawmakers are focusing instead on the plant's reliability and whether it can be counted on to deliver power if it's allowed to operate past its currently scheduled license expiration in 2012.

Lawmakers said they hope that lessens the chances a federal suit trying to pre-empt action against Vermont Yankee would succeed.

...

[kristopher]

5. There is more than one way to skin a cat.

If it comes to a pissing contest and the state wants to stop VY from operating, it is very probable they would be successful.

While the NRC may have exclusive jurisdiction over safety, there are a host of other areas that are vulnerable to attack by state controlled regulators. I doubt it would come to that (although it mirrors the ordeal that Cape Wind has had to endure so it does happen) but the state is not without power and the owners of VY know it. The NRC might give them a green light to operate but if they can't do it at a profit...

[joshcryer]

8. Are you saying Cape Wind isn't going through?

[kristopher]

9. No I didn't say that at all.

Unlike VY and the desire of most in VT to close it, Cape Wind has strong overall public support in Mass. I don't know that the outcome will be for Cape Wind. It is set to receive the final verdict in April, I believe.

[wtmusic]

6. I love it - the people who live next to VY want it to stay open

while the people who don't live anywhere near it want it to close :silly:

http://www.wptz.com/video/22220997/index.html

"(State Senator Peter) Shumlin told a Senate Chamber packed with spectators that Yankee is simply too costly, too risky, and its owners have shown too little regard for Vermont to permit relicensure. He added, however, that "our hearts go out" to the 650 employees who now work at the plant..."

Just like Harry Reid's heart went out to the 1,500 jobs lost because of the closing of Yucca (1,501, if you count Reid's job).

[joshcryer]

7. Wow, that's the exact opposite of NIMBYs.

They don't want windmills spoiling their million dollar views of the sea, but the vast majority of the other locals want the energy.

[kristopher]

10. They really interviewed a majority of "the people who live next to VY"?

Really? That must be several days worth of vid at high speed, so since I have dial up I'll just have to take your word for it that that is what they did.