Following a court ruling, the Vermont Public Service Board is re-hearing whether the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant’s owner, Entergy Nuclear, should be given a state permit to operate an additional 20 years. And Entergy wants a year and a half to file its documents.
In January, a Federal Court disallowed the Vermont Legislature’s involvement in the decision whether to grant a state permit for Vermont Yankee’s continued operation. The case went back to the Public Service Board, which decided to re-start the case from the beginning. During a meeting on Wednesday to determine the schedule for upcoming hearings, Entergy Corporation Spokesman Mike Burns says the company requested that they be allowed a year and a half to file documents.
The Conservation Law Foundation opposes Vermont Yankee's continued operation. Senior Attorney Sandra Levine says Entergy’s proposed time frame is too long.
TheNew England Coalition is also opposed to the continued operation of the nuclear plant. But Attorney Jared Margolis doesn’t think eighteen months is an unreasonable request by Entergy.
Margolis believes any strategy to drag the case out could backfire on Entergy.
The Vermont Department of Public Service is suggesting a similar time frame as Entergy, but wants the company to file its primary documents earlier than Entergy would like.
