US court rules Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant can keep license

By Scott DiSavino

 June 26 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday ruled that the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant can keep its new operating license, rejecting a challenge that the state of Vermont brought to the license granted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling means Entergy can keep operating the reactor. The government of Vermont and local and environmental groups were still trying to shut the plant in other legal and regulatory proceedings.

The state had challenged the validity of the plant's water permit. But the court determined the state failed to exhaust its administrative remedies and has waived the right to judicial review, the NRC said in an e-mail.
The NRC said the court found the Vermont Department of Public Service failed to take advantage of multiple earlier opportunities to raise its argument the water permit.

Vermont Yankee is the biggest plant in Vermont by far, representing over 50 percent of the state's total generating capacity.

READ MORE...