By Corina Rivera

The Vermont Senate passed the bill S. 124 on March 15, which would require legislative approval for nuclear plant operation beyond the date of any certificate of public good granted and in force, according to the amended version of the bill that is posted on the Vermont Legislature's Web site.

Officials of Entergy Nuclear, an Entergy Corp. subsidiary, oppose the bill, as the company seeks license renewal for its Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.

As reported, the U.S. NRC is currently reviewing the license renewal applications for Vermont Yankee as well as for Entergy's Pilgrim nuclear power station in Massachusetts.

If the licenses are renewed, the plants would be able to run for an additional 20 years beyond their current licenses.

The bill noted that state policy mandates that a nuclear power facility may be operated in Vermont only with the explicit approval of the General Assembly, after full, open and informed public deliberation and discussion.

"It is the purpose of this act to establish a statutory process to implement this policy with respect to the operation of any nuclear fission plant in the state beyond the date of any certificate of public good granted and in force," according to the bill.

The bill noted that no later than two years before the date upon which the approval may take effect, the state Public Service Board shall submit to the General Assembly a report of its findings gathered from the public engagement process, as well as any other information relevant to the operation of a nuclear fission plant.

The PSB shall also present to the General Assembly any proposed certificate of public good and proposed final order and any other information required, except that of proprietary nature.

"A certificate of public good issued by the [PSB] … may not take effect unless the General Assembly has by law approved the operation of a nuclear fission plant in the state," the bill concluded.

The bill's primary sponsor, Sen. Jeanette White, said on March 15, "It's important that the elected body make the decision whether we want to have nuclear power starting in 2012." She added that if she is in office in 2012, she would vote against it.

Vermont Yankee spokesman Rob Williams said on March 16: "The Legislature already has a major role in any decision to renew the license at Vermont Yankee [and] that's because last year we agreed to come back to them for permission to store spent fuel that would be generated past 2012. There's no way we can continue to operate past the current license without the Legislature approving spent fuel storage, so the bill is redundant, and it interferes with the [PSB] process."

The bill was in the House of Representatives' Natural Resources & Energy Committee on March 16, according to the site.

Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee LLC owns Vermont Yankee, and Entergy Nuclear Generation Co. owns Pilgrim.

http://www.snl.com/InteractiveX/article.aspx?CDID=A-2395853-10595