The 600-megawatt Vermont nuclear power plant won’t close in March after all, thanks to a favorable ruling in its battle with the state.
The license for Vermont Yankee was set to expire on March 21. Although the plant received the necessary 20-year extension from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to continue operating, it never received approval from the Vermont legislature, a rare requirement for nuclear plants.
In January, a federal judge decided that the Vermont state legislature couldn’t force the closure of the nuclear plant, but the facility’s owner – Entergy – needed a certificate of public good from the state.
The plant can continue operating while it seeks that certificate of public good.
The continued operation of Vermont Yankee will keep downward pressure on electricity prices in New England. All of the electricity in the region is pooled and priced the same at wholesale, so the loss of any low-cost operator such as a nuclear plant means it would be replaced by a higher cost provider.
