Vermont Senate Votes to Close Nuclear Plant

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http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/us/25nuke.html?hp


In an unusual state foray into nuclear regulation, the Vermont Senate voted 26 to 4 Wednesday to block operation of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant after 2012, citing radioactive leaks, misstatements in testimony by plant officials and other problems.

Unless the chamber reverses itself, it will be the first time in more than 20 years that the public or its representatives has decided to close a reactor.

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Vermont’s governor, Jim Douglas, a Republican, said after the Senate’s vote that he and other governors had met with Mr. Obama on Monday and that Mr. Obama had spoken “passionately” about the need for more reactors.

“It’s ironic that at the same time the president is advancing a strong commitment to nuclear energy, that we’re taking a step in another direction here,” said Mr. Douglas, who had sought to delay a vote until public outrage about several recent missteps at the plant cooled a bit.

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Commissioned in August 1966 and given its operating license in March 1972, Vermont Yankee is one of the older plants in the American inventory of 104 power reactors. The oldest still running is Oyster Creek, near Toms River, N.J., which is of a similar design and opened in December 1969.

Oyster Creek recently won a 20-year extension of its initial 40-year license, although, to the anger of its opponents, plant owners announced a few days later that it, too, was leaking tritium.
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clean up will be a nightmare