March 16, 2008
There are a number of important meetings in the coming month. Please see the CALENDAR OF EVENTS for details.
March 13, 2008
By BOB AUDETTE, Brattleboro Reformer Staff
BRATTLEBORO -- In a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Gov. James Douglas wrote that before Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant receives approval to extend operation from 2012 to 2032 it should undergo an independent safety assessment.
"The operation of Vermont Yankee is at a critical juncture," wrote Douglas, who stated he was concerned that events that happened last summer call into question the overall safety and reliability of the plant, which is owned and operated by Entergy.
Last August, a cooling tower cell collapsed, causing the plant to reduce its power output during one of the warmest times of the year. Ten days later, a sticking steam valve caused an automatic shutdown of the plant.
"There are too many questions," said Douglas during an interview at the Reformer Wednesday afternoon. "We all saw those photos of the cooling tower. Vermonters have a right to know if independent assessors feel the plant is safe for operation."
Nuclear watchdogs have been calling for an independent safety assessment of Yankee for years, similar to one conducted at Maine Yankee nuclear power plant, which eventually forced the closure of the plant because the costs to fix discrepancies found during the inspection proved to be too expensive to continue operation.
MORE >
March 6, 2008
To All Members, Friends, and Supporters,
This year our trustees have set 4 PM, Saturday, March 15th for our annual meeting. The meeting will be held at the Vermont Agricultural Business Education Center, University Way, Brattleboro, Vermont. Please mark your calendars for this very special event.
MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE HERE.
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