vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

8.30.2007

VY woes continue

Vermont Yankee has something in common with Alberto Gonzales. The troubles continue and the scrutiny isn't going away. Today, the plant shut down:

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant automatically shut
down Thursday during what plant officials said was testing of a turbine valve.

“Plant technicians are in the process of investigating the cause of the
automatic shutdown. The plant remains in a safe and stable condition and will be
restarted after a thorough evaluation of the shutdown is completed,” said a
statement issued by plant owner Entergy Nuclear.

Entergy spokesman Robert Williams said plant technicians were
“trouble-shooting one of the turbine valves,” when the shutdown occurred at 3:12
p.m. He could not provide details on what the problem was with the turbine valve
that prompted the trouble-shooting.

- Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 5:07 PM |

Comments:

Whether you are a fan of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant or not, you have to recgonize two key facts. 1) It is a huge source of power in Southern Vermont, and surronding areas. 2) It is one of the cleanest forms of power out there.

Considering this state's legislative leaders both on the Federal and State level are constantly testing the "Global Warming" waters, I would think that the power plant would be looked at with a little less disdain.

I firmly believe that nothign is free. We all must make sacrifices to be more comfortable. If Global Warming is really a top issue for you, what are you willing to sacrifice? Cars are not the only thing in the world that "affect climate change." Keep that in mind.

I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful whether this weekend, and have a safe Labor Day weekend.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:37 PM, August 31, 2007

It's very clean if you consider nuclear waste clean.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:31 PM, August 31, 2007

What's your suggestion -- that we all pedal-generate our own electricity?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:20 AM, September 01, 2007

Reasonably, we should be able to expect that the source of our power is a safe one, whatever it happens to be.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:47 AM, September 01, 2007

"Whatever it happens to be . . ."

Yeah, that's the point. What's your suggestion for how we should generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity in the state of Vermont? Anything that gets proposed -- wind turbines, upgraded transmission lines to import more power from out of state, extending the license of Yankee -- all generates hysterical opposition.

Everybody is opposed to something, but nobody has an answer that is accedptable to all Vermonters.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:00 PM, September 01, 2007

Why on earth is Vermont doing everything to avoid wind and solar?
We should have been way ahead on those.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:46 PM, September 02, 2007

Because people are allowed to file lawsuits to stop a wind turbine from going up, that's why.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:19 PM, September 02, 2007

You know, the nuclear industry just might get a little more support if they actually got their act together.

I say the state should condemn the thing as a public safety risk and force a sale to an in-state power company, which would have a clear interest in running the plant right. And any profits that might be generated after repairing VY can be dedicated to solar PV and solar thermal on every house in the state.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:43 AM, September 03, 2007

Duh. I guess you haven't been paying attention for the last, oh, 6-7 years, VY was owned by a consortium of in-state power companies -- Green Mountain Power, CVPS, etc. -- and they wanted out. They sold it to a company that had much more experience running nuclear power plants than they did. The state can't "force a sale," whether to an in-state company or otherwise. There is no in-state power company that would have enough money to buy this plant or would want to own it. And even if an in-state power company could afford to buy it, last I heard under the constitution, you can't "make" someone buy something against their will. Nor would the state itself want to own this thing.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:09 AM, September 03, 2007